Becoming Superboy
by DiamondBreak
Summary: Superboy's powers are changing and with them a new phase in his life starts. New secrets start to take form. New memories are recalled and he doesn't understand hem. His career choice starts to take shape but not the one he expected. His life is just turning upside down as he also joins the rookies on a mission the League doesn't approve. And then there are the Titans.
1. Waking Up (RR)

AN: this is my first story, please be kind with the reviews. I will accept constructive criticism but no insults whatsoever. I really like reading the New 52 comics though a lot say the new Superboy is not that good but I think he is. I always thought that the Superboy from Young Justice would eventually get his powers but since the show is over and there are no signs of it coming back I decided to write this.

AN UPDATE: Chapter revised and rewritten (RR)

_**Waking Up**_

He had dreams he never talked to anyone about. They were dreams about flying, about aging, and about feeling whole. Every time he woke up he reminded himself of the truth. If something was meant to happen, it would have happened by then. Many said he was lucky because he didn't physically age. They didn't know what they were talking about. He had already distanced from some of his civilian friends because they were noticing he hadn't changed since they met. He watched the kids he helped train start reaching his height; some of them would be taller than him in a few years. For all of his life, he would always be a 'boy' and not a 'man'.

Then, he changed. It scared him so bad he couldn't find the will to stop running as fast as he could through the Mohave Desert. Everything blurred past him. It was only when he felt out of breath and saw a radiant moon that he stopped. A small cloud of dust surrounded him because of his sudden stop. He savored the silence of the desert and though he had done well in throwing out his communicator as he fell back on the desert floor. He stared up at the star filled night sky still trying to catch his breath. This had to be some sort of dream, he thought as he tried to make sense of what happened. If he had stayed, everyone would be fretting over him, treating him like a child when he didn't feel like one. So he was seven years, and he looked sixteen, but that didn't mean they could treat him like that.

He groaned before slamming one of his fists against the ground. He needed to think of this rationally. First of all, this wasn't so bad. Finding out part of him came from Lex Luthor was bad, not this. But, why now? Why not a year or more ago? Things would probably be very different.

It was slightly over a year since they had kept the Reach from conquering Earth. The world would probably never know it, but it wasn't the League who stopped them. It was the Team and he couldn't have felt more proud to be part of it until he learned of their losses. He thought of Wally and wondered what he would have thought of all of this. Artemis surely put up a good front in front everyone but she was always distant. It wasn't a real victory, he thought bitterly. They had come across difficulties through that year too; some more horrifying than he would like to remember. The attack on Batgirl was at the top of his list and he wished to get his hands on the Joker.

He spread his fingers on the dry ground and took a deep breath. The shock ran through his body like lightning for a few seconds and then he took it all in. He could feel everything. The extensiveness of the desert and the sky and all that lived in them and between them. Every heartbeat, every breath, every life starting and ending; it was amazing and terrifying. This was not a dream. Never in his wildest of dreams, he could have felt this.

That morning felt like so long ago. It was a morning like any other when he first realized something was different. Or maybe things had already been changing but he just didn't notice. As usual, he ate breakfast with M'gann at the Watchtower's cafeteria. They had been talking about the usual things like previous missions and the friends they had in common. He had spaced out, bored of the repetitiveness of it. M'gann didn't like that. She used her powers to pull his plate away from him with a playful smile. They tried to rekindle their relation starting by being friends again, but in a few months, they realized they could never be more than that.

Sometimes even being her friend felt strained. She tried too hard like at that moment while she claimed he didn't even try sometimes. He gave her an amused look to show her he was trying and then reached for his plate. She pulled it higher with a short laugh. Now, he knew many had their eyes on them. He really didn't like people watching him. Maybe, he thought, he should just grab some more food and go to his bedroom. What if she got mad at him for leaving her behind? He wasn't getting up on the chair to try to reach the plate because he knew she would just bring it even higher.

Then something happened he could describe right away. He felt dizzy for a fraction of a second. It was as if he wasn't seated but above. No, it was like a part of him reached for it. Then, he could feel his plate.

Lying on the dry ground of the desert he realized this wasn't entirely true. It was more than just the plate. He could feel everything around him; the cafeteria and everyone in it. But he wanted his plate back so he didn't realize it until then.

"How did you do that?" M'gann asked him as the plate landed in front of him with wide eyes.

"What are you talking about?" he asked her confused. He had thought she had stopped playing and returned it to him when she sensed his annoyance.

"I…" she started before shaking her head, "never mind" she believed then that maybe one of the League members had decided to help him.

When she left there was frown on her face. She was confused, but he could tell something else was bothering her. He thought of the time that maybe it was because someone from the League got involved. They usually stayed out of each other's business. Still, he couldn't think of who could have been. As the day progressed he started to believe something else was going on.

In the afternoon, he was working in the ship hangar. It was one of the things he liked to do on his own accord. He knew it might be the Luthor genes he was carrying, but he liked working with machines and he was good at it too. It might also have to do with the encyclopedic knowledge Cadmus put into him. Either way, he liked tinkering with machines and especially engines. He and Hal Jordan were replacing one of the Javelin's engines, not a very common treat.

"…faster than me, but still is a pretty nice engine. Kid, pass me the welder" and then Hal felt the welder land on his open hand, "thanks."

"For what?" he asked before Hal looked back to see him carrying the old engine away.

"No…nothing," Hal laughed nervously, "I guess I used a construct without realizing."

He stared at the Lantern with skepticism. He didn't recall seeing him create any construct while working on the ships ever. The once test pilot preferred to work with his own hands when it came to them for old times' sake.

He started to suspect something was going on but it was only when he was loading the ships with provisions and other necessities that he was sure of it. Since the missions had been few in between and they were still in summer break, he took his time only carrying one box at the time when he usually could balance three. After his first trip, he found more than half of the boxes gone. He went back to the ships and found them there.

He went to the training rooms where he spotted Black Canary sparring with Robin while others watched.

"Kid Flash?" he called from the door. It was not that he didn't appreciate the help but he really wanted to do that on his own. It gave him some peace and quiet.

"Yes, Supps?" Bart asked appearing before him with a large smile as he munched on a bag of chips.

"Did you move the boxes?" he asked the kid who gave him a confused look, "the ones with the supplies for the ships.

"Nope, I was in the training room with Blue," he said before tilting his head to the side with a small frown, "are you feeling okay?"

The way he was looking at him startled him. It was as if he was seeing something else on him.

"Yeah," Conner said closing his eyes. He was actually starting to feel a little dizzy again.

Bart didn't look convinced but didn't push the matter any further.

"I have to get back or Black Canary will have my head. Just call if you need anything, alright?" Bart gave him a friendly smile before going back to watching the spar.

He thought then that something was wrong with him. He was sure he could feel just as he saw the worry on Kid Flash's face. His mind was playing tricks with him. More than once Clark told him to take it easy. With college, missions, training, and also helping with maintenance he believed maybe he was right and he was pushing himself too much. After finishing loading the remaining boxes, he went to his small bedroom. It was a far outcry for space from what he used to have in Mount Justice, but he couldn't complain since it served its purpose. He collapsed on his bed, face first and willed himself to sleep for a few hours.

He dreamed he was back in his pot in Cadmus, oblivious to the world outside. He only knew he existed and without knowing he felt lonely that he had never experienced anything. Then the G-Gnomes made themselves known to him before they turned on the sound in his brain and he heard sound for the first time. He didn't know what it was until the G-Gnomes started making sense of it for him. They told him Desmond and Dr. Spence were discussing.

"But we won't know that unless you let me run more tests on him," Dr. Spence said as she motioned to him inside his pot.

"We are not waking it up for something as absurd as a hunch," Desmond narrowed eyes on her; "the weapon's readings just became stable."

"But what if he wasn't brain dead this whole time; we would have ended Project Kr weeks ago if we really believed that" she said looking at him and something told him she didn't see him as a weapon, "we knew Project Kr was going to be something different than a human or a Kryptonian, what if this is it?"

"Absolutely not," Desmond said slowly and angrily "he will either have _his_ abilities or a failure and then exterminated"

_You close minded fool_, and then he could hear Dr. Spence's thoughts all thanks to the G-Gnomes, _you want a carbon copy but he is much more than that._

This was no longer a dream because he remembered he had thought the same as her. He was more than a copy though he didn't know at the time what he was. He knew he existed and had been lost in his conscious mind for the past few days trying to figure it out. He knew he had hands, legs, a head, a stomach but they all had the same meaning to him as the hair growing at the top of his head. It all mattered to him because it was him. His thoughts didn't come from his head; they came everywhere, including his small toes. They were his eyes and ears, and then he knew what Dr. Spence and Desmond looked like without having to open his physical eyes.

_Not yet, _the G-Gnomes whispered when he thought it might be a good idea to tell them what he thought, _not here. _And the G-Gnomes helped him push the thought to the back of his mind and forget it until then.

He woke up startled and breathless. Every single thing he just saw he knew had actually happened. He could feel it as he looked around his room and saw everything that was his floating around. He knew this wasn't a dream as his laptop floated into his closet and out again. The moment he centered on the laptop something stranger happened. He could feel everything about that laptop; every circuit, every piece, everything he could and couldn't feel when he held it on his hands. Then, everything fell down to the ground in a heap with a sound so immense that made him jump out of his bed. He realized the sound came from more than just his own things.

He rushed outside and ran down the hall into the cafeteria to spot trays and plates all strewn on the ground. The League and many of his teammates were trying to find the source of the phenomenon. He walked back slowly before he headed to the control room. Every step was taken carefully as if stepping on glass. He could feel the circuitry in the walls, the people behind closed doors. Everything as he reached the control room and saw Batman and Martian Man Hunter trying to pinpoint what exactly had happened. Then Martian Man Hunter froze and turned to look at him with a shocked expression

"Conner?" he asked, and he knew the Martian knew he was the source of everything.

"I…" he said stepping back because now he could feel the alien's trying to enter his mind. The sprinklers burst open spraying him with water before the walls started to groan as if something heavy was leaning against them, "I…"

"Calm down Conner," the Martian said stopping his proving so he would not make things any worse, "we just need to talk"

"No," he said before turning around and running away as fast as he could.

He jumped into the first Zeta-Beam he had found and come out somewhere in Texas. From there he had started running without real destination until he ended here. As he lay on the dry ground he wondered why he ran away. He knew he could trust the League and his friends, but part of him kept telling him that he had to get away from them.

"That is amazing," and of course, they sent Clark to get him.

He looked around and realized he had lifted a few boulders in proximity without meaning to. Unsure he did his best to lower them down.

"It doesn't feel amazing," Conner said as he stood up to face him.

"I imagine," Clark sighed, "new powers are never easy"

Conner was quiet for a long time. He had been told many times by Clark of the difficulties he had when he first got his powers. No one was there to guide him and more than once it had caused him trouble. He couldn't even start to image how frightened he had been as a child when he got his heat vision and burned more than half of the Kent's crops.

"I need to learn how to use them before I go back," he said remembering how just being frightened had messed everything around him.

"What about staying at the farm for a while, there is plenty of space to practice" Clark offered, besides since his parents passed away the house had been too lonely.

"I don't want to mess anything up," he knew how much that house meant to him.

"Believe me, you won't break anything that I didn't break at one point," Clark said patting him on the back after he stood up, "c'mon, let's get you settled."

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OLD CHAPTER VERSION

Becoming Superboy 1

Conner thought it had all been a dream and even if it had been true he thought it would never happen now. He was stuck in eternal sixteen so there was no chance whatsoever that he would change. But he did. He ran as fast as he could through the Mohave Desert. He stopped once he spotted the radiant moon above. A small cloud of dust drew around him. He was glad he had thrown out his communicator as he fell on his back and stared up. He needed time to think on his own. This was not as bad as learning part of him came from Lex Luthor's DNA, but it was not welcome either.

The year before they had stopped a whole invasion while some of the heavy hitters of the League had been off planet; it had been one of their proudest and saddest moments in the Team. That past year wasn't without its difficulties but nonetheless it had been a good year. What a way to end it, he thought bitterly. He sat and placed his hand on the dry ground. He was shocked for an instant but then he took it all in. He could feel the extensiveness of the desert and all that lived on it and underneath it. It was amazing and frightening.

It had all started that morning, it had been a usual morning as he and Megan ate breakfast together at the Watch Tower. They had been talking about some assignment that he could not remember now. Then she had used her powers to pull his plate away from him with a playful smile. They were back to being friends, but he thought she tried too hard sometimes. Still, he played along and reached for it just for her to make it go higher. He felt multiple sets of eyes watching his back. They were not alone in the Tower's lunch room and he was starting to get a little annoyed. He was not about to get on the chair to try to reach his plate again just for her to bring it even higher.

Something happened then, he didn't realize it at first, but he could actually feel the plate. As he lay in the dry ground of the desert he recalled this was not true. He was actually able to feel the whole lunch room and everyone on it. But his mind was centered on the plate and his wish for it to come back to him. Then it did.

"How did you do that?" Megan asked him before he gave her a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" he asked still confused. He had thought she had stopped playing and returned it to him.

"I…" she started before shaking her head, "never mind" she believed then that maybe one of the League members had decided to help Conner.

As the day went by she and other realized this was not the case.

Conner was, even if he said so himself, rather good with machines. It might be because he had all the knowledge Cadmus had put into him or that he truthfully liked tinkering with things. At any rate, he had been helping Hal Jordan with one of the League's ships.

"…faster than me, but still is a pretty nice engine. Kid, pass me the welder" and the Hal felt something land on his hand, "thanks"

"For what?" Conner asked before Hal picked from where he was working to spot the kid carrying the old engine away.

"No…nothing," Hal thought that maybe he used his ring without meaning and pulled the welder himself.

Conner finally started to suspect something was going on as he loaded one of the ships with provisions and other necessary things in case of emergencies. This was a job he usually liked before it gave him some time alone to think. Though he had super strength he still decided to carry at the most two heavy boxes at the time. After returning from his first trip he found more than half of the boxes gone. He went to the other ships and found them all in their corresponding places.

"Kid Flash?" Conner called with a frown on his face. It was not that he didn't appreciate the help but he really wanted to do this on his own.

"Yes Suppie!?" Barth said appearing before him with a large smile as he munched on a bag of chips.

"Did you move the boxes?"

"Nope, I was in the training room with Blue," he said before tilting his head to the side with a small frown, "are you feeling okay?" he could sense there was something different about his friend but wasn't sure what.

"Yeah," Conner said closing his eyes. He was actually starting to feel a little dizzy which was extremely rare of him.

Barth had not been convinced at all but knew better than to push the matter, "I have to go back or Black Canary will have my head, just call if you need anything, alright?" he offered and after Conner nodded he left.

Maybe he had been pushing himself too much lately with college, missions, training and then also helping with maintenance. He went to his room and lay on his bed before falling asleep. The dream, or rather a suppressed memory came to him at that time. He had been in his pot back in Cadmus oblivious to the world outside but then the G-Gnomes turned the sound on his brain and he could hear Desmond and Dr. Spencer discussing.

"But we won't know that unless you let me run more tests on him" Dr. Spencer said as she motioned to the resting clone.

"We are not waking him up for something as absurd as a hunch," Desmond said with narrowed eyes, "his readings have just become stable"

"But what if he wasn't brain dead this whole time; we would have ended Project Kr weeks ago if we really believed that" she said looking at the clone with wonder, "we knew Project Kr was going to be something different than a human or a Kryptonian, what if this is it?"

"Absolutely not," Desmond said slowly and angrily "he will either have _his_ abilities or considered a complete failure and then exterminated"

_You close minded fool_, and then he could hear Dr. Spencer's thoughts all thanks to the G-Gnomes, _you want a carbon copy but he is much more than that._

And back then he had thought that she was right. He could recall he had a conscious mind for more than just those past few days but it was as if it was not just centered on his head like now, but all over his body. He could tell exactly how Dr. Spencer and Desmond looked like and even the chamber he was in without having to open his eyes.

_Not yet, _the G-Gnomes told him when he thought it might be a good idea to tell them this, _not here. _And the G-Gnomes helped him push the thought to the back of his mind and forget of it until then.

He had woken up scared because now he could feel it. He looked around his room and saw his computer, books, clothes, anything that wasn't attached to the ground floating about. But that wasn't the strangest thing. He could actually feel them. Every circuit, every curve, and every texture as if he was touching them with his bare hands. And then he dropped them and everything crashed down in a broken mess. The sound was so immense he realized that the things in his room had not been the only ones floating about.

He rushed outside to spot the League and many of his teammates trying to find the source of the phenomenon. He walked slowly, as if stepping on glass towards the meeting area where Batman, and Martian Hunter were trying to pinpoint what exactly had happened. Then Martian Hunter froze and turned to look at him.

"Conner?" he asked

"I…" he said stepping back because now he could feel the alien's trying to prove his mind. The sprinklers at top of his head burst open spraying him with water before the walls started to groan as if something heavy was leaning against them, "I…"

"Calm down Conner," the Martian said stopping his proving so he would not make things any worse, "we just need to talk"

"No," he said before turning around and running away as fast as he could.

He had jumped into the first Zeta-Beam he had found and come out somewhere in Texas. From there he had started running without real destination until he ended here. As he lay on the dry ground he wondered why he had ran away. He knew he could trust the League and his friends, but still part of him kept telling him that he had to get away from them.

"That is amazing," and of course, they sent Clark to get him.

He looked around and realized he had lifted a few boulders in proximity without meaning to. Unsure he did his best to lower them down.

"It doesn't feel amazing," Conner said as he stood up to face his mentor and friend.

"I imagine," Clark sighed, "new powers are never easy"

Conner was quiet for a long time. He had been told many times by Superman of the difficulties he had when he first got his powers. No one was there to guide him and more than once it had caused him trouble. He couldn't even start to image how as frightened he had been as a child when he got his heat vision and burned more than half of the Kent's crops.

"I need to learn how to use them before I go back" he said remembering how just being frightened had messed everything around him.

"What about staying at the farm for a while, there is plenty of space to practice" Clark offered, besides since his parents passed away the house had been too lonely.

"I don't want to mess anything up," he knew how much that house meant to him.

"Believe, you won't break anything that I didn't break at one point" he patted the young hero on the back before standing, "c'mon, let's get you settled"


	2. The New Clone in Town (RR)

AN UPDATE: Chapter revised and rewritten (RR)

_**The New Clone in Town**_

The nighttime was all around them; in the wind, the rustling crops, and the small creatures of the night. The moon illuminated the old dirt road that countless generations of Kents had driven through from and to town. To many the sight of the almost abandoned road and the sound of the whispering wind would have them turn around and find the closest sign of civilization. Clark could have driven through that road with eyes closed but instead enjoyed the sight of the familiar path. The road had a history, but it wasn't his. This was his first time in Smallville though he had known of the place for quite some years.

He had come to accept that he would never be like Clark in more than in the sense of their powers. For starters, he didn't know how it was like to grow in a place like this, shielded by the tall crops from the eyes of the world. Then, there were the Kents. He wished he had made time to meet them, but fear of what they would think of him kept him away. Then, time ran out. The old couple was gone. He knew he would always regret not meeting them.

The dirt road came to an end and ahead surrounded by a halo of moonlight was the Kent farm house. It was exactly as he imagined farm homes to be; small but cozy and surrounded by fences and crops. It had a welcoming porch where a wooden swing was rocked back and forth by the wind. To his eyes, the home also looked fragile. He had destroyed structures many times stronger. One punch in the right place and it could collapse like a deck of cards. Not that he would do something like that on purpose, but with his new power, he was sure he could do something just as bad.

Clark got out of the old truck, having picked it up earlier to drive him from the edge of town and looked at the old home with a proud smile. More than before he feared he would wreck the place.

"It's sturdier than it looks," Clark told him when he noticed he wasn't getting out of the truck.

He took a deep breath, took the groceries Clark had bought in the way and got out of the truck to stand before the place he would call home until he gained control over his powers. Now standing before it, he didn't know what to make of it. He had lived in Mount Justice and the Watchtower and before that a pod in an underground lab. This was the first time he would be living in a place that could be called normal. When he visited the homes of friends he always felt out of place. He remembered the few days he stayed with Wally after they found him. He couldn't even sleep on a bed, preferring the closet though he had been able to smell all of the hidden food. He had the whole sleeping on a bed down now, but what about the rest?

"I will be right back," Clark said before he disappeared to the back of the house.

He could hear him putting in the fuses before entering through the kitchen door and then walking into the living room. If he planned to run, that was the time. Then Clark opened the front door and stood there for a brief moment surrounded by the warmth of the home.

He climbed the old wooden steps and stepped through the door. It was cozy; he thought when he saw the living room. There was a place he immediately liked. It was a corner of the living room where large reading chair sat under a tall stained glass lamp. Then he took in the rest of the home. Though no one had lived in the house for a while, it still radiated the feeling of being lived in. The scent of the earthly wooden floors was all around, helping to drain some of his anxiety.

"Go take a look around while I prepare us some dinner," Clark told him as he took the groceries into the kitchen.

"But-" he tried to oppose but Clark was already gone. He looked around the living room for a moment not knowing where to go. Then, on the wall, he saw frames of the Kents' lives before and after Clark. They looked like happy people. And, he knew they had been good too. He spotted one of Clark close to his physical age. They looked so much alike, though not exactly the same. Not that he expected to be the same anymore, but it was glaring to see where they weren't the same.

He turned away and climbed the stairs. He felt like an intruder just standing in the hall connecting two bedrooms and a bathroom. He could sense what was inside but didn't enter any of them. His senses were filled with memories that weren't his; pictures, objects, and intangible feelings left behind by the previous inhabitants. He didn't know how long he stood there, unable to force his hand to open a single door.

"It's ready," he heard Clark call out before he went downstairs and into the kitchen.

Just like the rest of the home, he found the kitchen warm. As they ate Clark told him of a few things he wanted him to do while there. It was simple things like keeping the house clean, taking down an old shed in the back of the house, trying to fix the tractor.

After the meal, he took him back upstairs to show him what Clark now called 'his room'. It was Clark's old bedroom. It was in the early hours of the day when Clark finally started to leave. He left his civilian clothing on a briefcase he kept in a small closet

"Take the truck to town if you need anything," he said handing him the keys.

"Got it," he said as now Superman started walking towards the front door.

"If anyone asks, we are related on ma's side of the family" Clark paused with a frown at the door, "tell them you are… my cousin" maybe he should call Bruce for a better background story.

"Kara won't like that," he said unable to keep the smirk off his face to which Clark gave him a disapproving look. To say that he and Supergirl didn't get along was an understatement and Clark knew it. Though they tried for Clark, they usually ended up bickering. She would throw on his face that he was a clone. He would tell her to get off her high chair and so on. It all had to do with the last war in Krypton and a very dark passage in Kryptonian history. He had talked to Clark about it a few times, but he preferred to keep those thoughts to himself. He also liked to tell himself that he didn't care.

"There are some woods in that direction," Clark pointed out the direction before he saw the place a few miles away. "There is only small prey so you won't have to worry about hunters when you train. That way is the Lang farm," Clark pointed to the west where quite a few miles away he spotted a home. "They are closest neighbors and will probably come see you. I will give them a call so they don't worry when they notice you are here."

He nodded wondering if they would give him any trouble.

"Call if you need anything little brother," Clark said with a smile before he took off to return to Metropolis.

He sat on the wooden swing on the porch and stared at the crops up ahead. He was alone but not quite. Like a whisper, his new ability was telling him of everything around him. It wasn't overwhelming like he had initially thought it would be. It was just a whisper of the constant pace of life. As the sun started to rise he sensed the crops seek out its energy. Then when the light of the new day hit him, he felt it. It was nothing like the artificial energy he was fed as he was grown. It also was not like every morning in his life when his skin tingled in the morning light. At that moment, every single one of his cells started to absorb the energy of the sun and metabolizing it to replenish what he had lost the night before. It was the first time it felt like this. He burned the memory into his mind as he took a deep breath and leaned back on the swing letting the wind dictate the sway. The memory he regained came back; he had been able to tell he existed though he had no idea of the concept at the time. He could sense every bit of his being as the sun continued to rise, reminding him of something very important he realized back then; he was alive.

The peacefulness was broken when something alien invaded his senses. He swore the hairs on the back of his head stood on end. He looked up and in the distance though camouflaged, he could tell the Bioship was flying towards him. So much for burning that moment into his memory, he thought as he left the porch and waited for them to land.

The Bioship landed keeping the camouflage before Nightwing and Miss Martian came out with his few possessions. Or at least, the ones that survived the incident in the Watchtower.

"And here I thought I would be missed," he rubbed the back of his bead, trying to keep calm. Something didn't feel right. It wasn't just the fact he had sensed the Bioship from so far away. That was probably because he was familiar with it. There was something else getting under his skin. The whisper turned into a scrape in the back of his brain; it scratched at his control.

"More like you would be missing us," Nightwing said with a smile as he placed his duffle bags on the porch. He took a quick turn taking in the whole place. "Are you sure about living here all on your own?" Nightwing asked with a slight frown. He probably thought the farm to be too disconnected from the rest of the world but it was exactly what Conner needed at that time. The scrape intensified before he turned to look at M'gann.

M'gann was levitating the boxes containing his books and others possessions to also rest on the porch. But she kept her distance, sticking close to the Bioship watching him with wary eyes and with tightly sealed lips. He realized then that she could also feel something wasn't right.

"It's for the best," he finally said to Nightwing with a strained smile, "at least until I learn how to control them so no one gets hurt."

Nightwing started to say something but then paused. He looked at him and the looked back at M'gann realizing something else was going that he couldn't sense. They were watching each other cautiously. Anyone else would have thought it had to do with their previous relationship, but not Nightwing. The way his friend frowned slightly for a moment told him as much.

"Are you going to be taking the semester off?" M'gann asked after a long uncomfortable silence. She wasn't reaching into his mind. He could tell as much. But, her eyes never stopped studying him, as if trying to unravel something.

"Yes, this will take some time," he said taken by surprise. He really hadn't thought at all about his degrees until then. He was not far from finishing. It would be a year at the most after he went back to classes. Though he had no idea of how long it would take him to gain full control over his new ability. It could be a few months or years. For all he knew, he would have to give up his civilian life. Then, he realized she was still studying him. He would never admit it, but he felt unnerved. What was she seeing that he couldn't?

"It's not that difficult to control," she said clearly annoyed as a frown marred her face, "it's all in your mind. You should already know how to control it."

He and Nightwing had a difficult time not looking shocked. Though they could tell the words were meant to be comforting, they came out full of spite and contempt.

"You grew using yours," he said through greeted teeth. The scrapping had turned into tearing, "mine just-" he stopped when they heard the Bioship groan as if something heavy was pressing on it.

"Stop hurting her!" M'gann shouted extending her arm towards him and her eyes glowing red. He clenched his teeth as he resisted the force trying to throw him back. He would crash into the house if he gave in.

"M'gann stop!" Nightwing shouted before she snapped out of it with wide frightened eyes. Then, the glare returned but not as intense as before. She turned around and boarded her ship.

"Sorry, I am still…" he closed his eyes tightly. The tearing on the back of his mind was back to scraping, but it still made it difficult for him to concentrate, "I think you better leave. I really have no idea how to control this."

"I understand," Nightwing said placing a hand on his shoulder and void of fear even after what he had seen, "I still want you to contact us if you need anything." He handed him a new communicator, "no matter how insignificant you might think it is if you just want to talk…"

"I know, I know," he said forcing a smile to pacify his old friend. He watched them leave glad and confused by what had happened.

He left all of his things in the living room before collapsing on the couch face down. Only those few moments had exhausted him. He knew he should be getting up but chose to stay like that a while longer. In truth, he thought, from that point on it was all up to him. He didn't have a schedule to follow; no missions, or classes, or anything that he didn't want to do. There had always been some type of order to his life and now there was none but the one he chose if he chose to have one. It was complete maddening freedom and he was spending it resting on the couch.

Just five more minutes…

He put away his clothes in the bedroom. His laptop that barely survived the incident charging. His books went to the empty spaces in the bookshelf. It was a pleasant sight to see them fit just right. He took down the old shed on the back of the house but wondered what he was supposed to do with the remains. He took a look at the tractor and wondered if he should send it to a museum instead. It was no secret he liked working with machines, but he was not a miracle worker. He explored the house and the surroundings with less hesitation knowing he would have to eventually. The place was spotless and he wondered how often Clark had it cleaned. He did all of this within an hour and before he headed to the woods Clark told him about.

He cut through the rustling fields. There was no need to run as it was still early in the day. It wasn't even midday. He walked at a steady pace wondering how he would keep himself sane. There had to be more for him to do while there besides breathing and training.

888

Jannet Lang sat on her living room. She had turned the TV down a few minutes ago when she answered a phone call from no other than Clark Kent. The boy she had seen growing up in the neighboring farm always called them during the holidays so she was pleasantly surprised to hear from him before then. Then, he explained the reason of his call which explained why Mrs. Braverman had made the silly remark that the Kents' old truck was hunting the town's road. It probably had been Clark driving his nephew up to the farm.

"Are you sure Clark? Leaving a young man to live in his own?" she knew if left to their own devices men, young or old, had the tendency to get into trouble.

"He is very responsible Mrs. Lang. Believe me," Clark said with a laugh.

"Well, you have always been a good judge of character, just like your parents were. I just hope the town's kids won't give him much trouble. Youth is so restless during the summer. You and Lana were no exception," she lost the count of times the sheriff brought the two of back home because they kept sneaking where they shouldn't. Still, in her opinion those two and Peter Ross helped more than trouble the sheriff with the bizarre occurrences from years back.

"Yeah, I remember," she could hear Clark's smile, probably remembering too. "I better go Mrs. Lang. My plane is about to take off back to Metropolis and you know, the stories don't write themselves," and he was no longer the boy that would stare at her daughter with love stricken eyes. What a shame.

"Take care dear," she said with a pleased smile. He had turned out to be a good man. She was sure Martha and Jonathan were and would always be proud of him.

Not long after, her husband returned from town with the supplies they would need for the rest of the week. She walked up to him with a smile she knew was giving her away. But that was how it was with old couples like them; they just knew each other too well. Still Lewis Lang didn't pry it out of her. He knew she enjoyed every moment she held on to her little secret. When done they sat in the kitchen with warm cups of coffee. He gave her a curious look to which she only smiled even more.

"Well?" Lewis asked before laughing at seeing her blush.

"You are no fun," but she still smiled. "I got a call from Clark. It looks like his cousin will be living in the farm for a while."

"That blond girl all on her own?" he remembered she had been extremely shy around others. He couldn't even recall seeing her with friends in town. Most of the time he saw her it was while helping Martha around the farm.

"No, this one is a boy. A little older than her, though," and this was indeed a very interesting piece of information. They had never heard of another cousin.

"Really? I never thought Martha had such an extended family," Lewis then remembered Martha really didn't like talking about her family. It seemed she had become estranged from them when she married Jonathan instead of some city bigshot like they wanted her to. City folk, figures. Still, that didn't stop the Kents from adopting Clark when Martha's cousin passed away in a car accident.

"His name is Conner, and it seems his last name is also Kent. It's funny how the world works. Anyways, he said the boy was taking a break from college. Clark thought sending him here would be a good idea," Jannet said with a pleased smile.

Lewis couldn't help to laugh "a city kid wouldn't know how to get in trouble around here. It was a good call."

888

Conner couldn't shut it out. The whispering which started as comforting was now vexing him. Why couldn't he shut it out? Yeah, it was great to feel in contact with everything around him, but it was also very distracting. The heartbeat of every being, the invisible growth of the greenery, and how his every breath changed his surrounding; it was all stunning but also very diverting. That just wouldn't do while in missions. Instead of shutting it down, he tried to minimize it but ended up sensing even more; the cells in the blood, every bit of pollen in the air, the particles of the sunlight. It was too much and his head felt like it was going to explode. He sank to his knees taking deep breaths, but even that made it worse. His neurons were shooting through the synapses trying to make sense of everything he was feeling.

Then, it all turned down. He didn't know how he did it but somehow it was a very small whisper. As he fell on his back he realized it was simply because he had tired himself. He closed his eyes and took a break. It had been less than half an hour and he was already tired. He couldn't help to laugh as he ran a hand down his face. Not even his usual training left him this tired. He usually had to go on missions that lasted days to get anywhere near this point. The damp forest floor made wonders for him. Still lying on the ground, he closed his eyes. He had no idea where he was going with this, but trying to shut out the world again wasn't an option. Instead, he concentrated on something that was close to him; a stick.

He tried to visualize the stick going to him. This dampened the whisper of the world a little which almost made him lose his concentration. Then he heard creaking sounds and opened his eyes wide. Floating over him were dozens of branches and the canopy was bending towards him. He counted that as progress.

The days that followed were much the same. He had no real plan every morning besides looking after the house and training. Most of his time went into training, which he sometimes switched from the forest to the extensive fields when he felt braver. He knew there was no one around for miles, but it still made him nervous. There was very little he could say if he over did it and someone noticed it.

In the mornings, coffee was brewing in the kitchen as he watched the sunrise. It was strange to be alone for so long, but he found it a good change. He usually sat in the living room going over some of his previous college projects or reading a book if just to kill some time. The more he thought about it, the more he didn't like taking time off his degrees. At least, he could build on some of his knowledge while there. He stayed away from the news knowing that Nightwing would get in contact with him if he was needed.

All that he week he had been training and decided to take a day off. After breakfast, he picked at some of the old photo albums he found in the closet. The Kents weren't big on pictures until Clark came into their lives. He wondered if they found their lives as monotonous as he was at the time. As he went over the pictures he wondered if he would have been as happy as Clark had he been given the chance to grow in the farm. Not with powers, just a regular kid. Would he have been like Clark who smiled in every picture?

He shut close the photo album when he reached the pictures where Clark was the physical age he was stuck on. Neither one had ever talked about it; about how he was different. He shook his head trying to make the thoughts away. There was no point on thinking things like that. He had come to terms with this a long time ago. He hated it but accepted his truth. He was going to look like this all of his life. He would have to eventually change his civilian name, start all over again in some new place. Only Rao knew how many times he would have to before he grew sick of it and just pulled back from humanity. Could he keep coming back to the farm? No soul had dropped by since Nightwing and Miss Martian had left. Surely this was a place he wouldn't have to abandon.

Then, he thought of the kids currently on The Team. It felt like it had only been a year since Nightwing stopped being Robin. Kid Flash, Beast Boy, Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, and the current Robin would all grow too. They would become adults and he would be forever sixteen, forever a kid… forever Superboy.

His cup of coffee started to crack. He picked it up fast and hurried to the kitchen sink just in time to watch it crumble into fine pieces. It was time to get out of his head and go somewhere else. He didn't want to go to the woods or the fields. After a quick check of the kitchen, he thought making a quick run to the town's grocery store would be a good idea. He didn't really get a chance to see much the night he arrived, not that he expected to find a lot.

As he drove the truck down the road he found his previous thoughts flying out the open window and lost in the golden fields. He turned on the radio trying to find something decent. He found a country song that he thought might be popular in the area. It wasn't really his type of music but it made the trip to town much more enjoyable. He spotted a few people on the road which seemed surprised to see him, or more likely see him driving the truck.

"Was that the Kent's truck?" his hearing allowed him to hear someone ask the driver.

"Jannet said Clark sent his cousin here for a while. A college student or something like that taking a break," the driver had responded, "or you are going to tell me you believed Braverman's story about the truck being haunted?"

He tuned them out as he finally caught sight of the town. As he found a place to park he wondered if the founders of the town knew the place would always remain small. He hoped it did. As he got out of the truck he found the streets less cluttered and cleaner. Though, there was much more to the town than he understood at the time. As he walked down the street he could hear the whispers and feel the stares. It seemed they had known about him almost from the day he had arrived.

"Gosh, he looks so much like Clark," he heard a woman say as she pushed a baby stroller.

"I know, right? But he looks so serious. Clark had such a cute smile," her friend said not doing a good job at hiding she was looking at him from the other side of the street.

"Well, you know city people," the woman pushing the baby stroller said with a shrug.

Why did he have to park so far from the grocery store? He tried to hurry through the streets.

"I bet he can't even catch a football," he heard a man say who had passed him walking in the opposite direction.

"But I bet he can probably tackle the hell out of your kid," his friend said with a short laugh.

So maybe runs to town would happen less than he thought.

"His cousin? He could be his son" there was a café up ahead where an old couple sat watching him more discreetly than the rest.

"Don't be silly," said the husband.

"How old is he anyways?" the wife asked.

"No idea, but I heard he is taking a break from college. He could be his brother, but Clark is not old enough to have a kid that age," the old man said wisely.

"I guess you are right," the woman said as he passed them.

When he finally reached the grocery store he wanted to sigh. He had the feeling he wouldn't leave town unquestioned. A few days ago he had talked to Clark through the phone to compose a more believable story besides him just being his cousin, from Clark's mother's side of the family, who also happened to have the last name, Kent. They really should have talked with Batman about this. Deceit was more down the bats' alley.

He picked a few things as fast as he could before rushing the single cashier in the store. The old lady attending to it gave him a questioning look through her half spectacle glasses.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked her after a moment. People were starting to line up behind him and trying to get a better look at him.

"What about a good morning young man? Or did Clark not pass any of the manners his parents taught him?" she was so small, her hair fully white, but her voice was imposing.

"Good morning," he said.

"You were raised in the city, weren't you? You look so much like Clark but you are nothing like him" the old woman said with a frown as she kept ringing his purchase.

Well, that was because he was actually only his half-clone, but he couldn't tell the old lady that. Instead, he chose uncomfortable silence as she rang his items.

"You are the boy living in the Kent farm, right? Clark's nephew?" she stopped midway and stared at him with a defying look.

"Cousin," he corrected though he was sure she already knew, "I am taking a break from college and came here at Clark's suggestion."

"Not all you thought it would be, is it?" she said with a smirk.

"It's peaceful, it is just what I needed," he said calmly which only got the woman to raise her eyebrow at him. She usually got to Clark as a kid with questions like that but the edgy look the kid was giving her told her that he wouldn't be an easy target.

"You say you are his cousin, I thought Clark was an orphan before the Kents took him in," she said looking for a crack on his responses.

"He is, his biological mother was Mrs. Kent's cousin, sister of my mother," who of course didn't exist but in files they had recently altered in case anyone tried to look into them.

"You look young to be in college," the woman said tilting her head. She was sure this boy looked like Clark when he used to attend high school but his height made things tricky.

"Thank you," he said with a strained smile. The matter of his age was something he preferred to stay away from for obvious reasons.

"So he can smile, and even joke," the old woman laughed finishing to ring his purchase, "there you go. Hope to see you again soon boy."

"Thanks. Have a good day," he said before the old woman laughed even further and commenting about him learning fast.

When he finally left the store he heard everyone start whispering all at once. That was a complete torture but they probably got all the answers they had wanted.

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OLD CHAPTER VERSION

Becoming Superboy 2

It was nighttime by the time they made it to the Kent farm. Even in the darkness of the night he could see the house was a simple and even fragile looking (in his eyes) thing. He started to have doubts. He really didn't want to wreck the place Superman grew up. He didn't have the chance to meet the Kents but he had heard plenty of times they had been wonderful parents to his mentor.

"It's fine, is sturdier than it looks" he pushed him forwards, much like a parent does a child when facing silly fears, "wait here for a moment" and he disappeared to the back of the house to get the fuses changed. Soon there was light in the kitchen before he appeared at the kitchen door.

He gave him a quick tour of the house, showed where he would be staying, and asked him to take care of a few things while he stayed there. He thought it was a fare trade for letting him stay.

"Take the truck to town if you need anything" he said tossing the keys his way.

"Got it," Superboy caught the keys to the old truck parked outside.

"If anyone asks, we are related on ma's side of the family" he paused with a slight frown, "tell them you are… my cousin" maybe he should call Bruce for a better backup story.

"Kara is not going to like that," but the slight smirk on his face told Superman that the boy would be too happy to see Supergirl upset. Those two didn't see eye to eye most of the time, especially since Kara kept throwing to Conner's face that he was a clone. It had to do with a dark passage of Kryptonian history, which Conner liked to act as if it didn't bother him.

"There are some woods in that direction where you can practice without being bothered. You might also receive a visit or two from the Langs. They are the only neighbors nearby. I will give them a call later so they don't worry when they notice someone is here"

By the time he was done fretting and gone the sun was starting to pick in the east. He sighed as he sat outside in the porch. It was very peaceful. He thought with a smile. Then the hairs on back of his neck stood up and he looked up. He stood up and a few minutes later the Bio-ship landed. Keeping the camouflage, M'gann and Nightwing came out of the ship with his bags.

"And here I thought I would be missed" he said rubbing the back of his head. He had felt the ship come from so far away; he didn't get why, but hoped it was simply because he was familiar with it.

"More like you would be missing us. Are you sure about living here all on your own?" Nightwing said placing the bags he had been carrying on the porch. M'gann levitated the ones she had been carrying until they were next to him. She kept close to her ship and kept her lips on a firm line.

"Better alone than hurting someone; I have no clue on how to control my powers"

Nightwing started to open his mouth to say M'gann could help him, but then he noticed how Superboy wouldn't even look in her way. It was not an option. They were okay now, but not that okay.

"Are you going to be taking the semester off?" M'gann asked after a long silence.

"Yes, I will have to" he said as a frown crossed his forehead. He hadn't thought about his degree until then. Well, he was almost a year away from finishing so hopefully this wouldn't take more than one semester to get under control.

"Is not that difficult to control," she dared say, "those type of powers" and even Nightwing had a hard time not looking shocked. Was that spite?

"You grew up using your powers, mine just…" and though his tone was calm and even but a moment later they heard the Bio-ship groan as if something heavy was pressing on it.

"Stop it!" M'gann shouted before Superboy jumped worried, the sound stopped. She glared at him before turning and marching back inside her ship.

"Sorry, I still…" he closed his eyes tightly before taking a deep breath, "I think is better if you leave. I really have no idea of how to control this"

"I still want you to contact us if you need anything" Nightwing said placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "no matter how insignificant you think it might be, if you want to talk about it you…"

"I know, I know," he forced a smile to pacify his friend before Nightwing handed him a new communication, he meant it.

The rest of the day he spent putting away his things. He found it tedious as he kept feeling his surrounding and that distracted him at times. When done he walked around the house picking here and there and then outside; which was like he expected like any farm to be. He spotted the barn Superman wanted him to take apart and then he spotted the old rackety tractor that he wanted him to fix. He knew he was good with machines but he was not a miracle worker. Deciding to start on that later he walked in the direction of the woods his mentor had told him that night. He took his time getting there as he really didn't have idea of what he wanted to do but get some training done. Still he had no idea of where to start.

Not that far away Jannet Lang hung up the kitchen phone and went outside where she approached her husband who was returning from town. She took her sweet time helping him unload the materials he had brought wondering how she should tell him someone was living in the Kent farm. Her husband knew she had something interesting to say the moment he spotted her little smile trying to hide her excitement.

"Well, spill it out already," he said laughing at her reddened cheeks.

"You are no fun," but then she smiled, "I got a call from Clark. It looks like his cousin is going to be living in the farm for a while"

"That blond girl, all on her own?" he couldn't recall her name but he had seen her once from afar while she helped Martha with some work around the farm.

"No, this one is a boy. About the same age" and that was even more interesting. He had never heard of another cousin.

"Really? I never thought Martha had that much of an extended family" Martha had been a city girl, and very independent from her family from what they understood.

"He said his name is Conner and that he was taking a break from college. Clark doesn't want him going rogue so he sent him to stay here" she said with a pleased smile.

Her husband laughed, "good call, there is very little kids can do around here to get into trouble" well, their dear Lana did but she was a child from a whole different batch!

Returning to Conner, he was not having a good time. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate he could not pacify that feeling that made him feel in contact with everything around him. Every time he tried to control it and minimize it, it just grew and grew. He could feel everything living around him, the grass, the trees, the animals, worms, moss and then some more. It was too much and he was starting to get a headache. Finally he was able to stop but it had taken a toll on him. He sank to his knees taking deep breaths. He felt sweat run down his face and laughed before collapsing on the ground. He couldn't remember ever feeling that tired. The humid forest ground felt comforting against his heated face. He closed his eyes and after a few minutes dared to try again. This time he tried to concentrate on something near him; a stick.

He visualized said stick going to him; at the same time he tried to block the feeling of everything else. Then something snapped and he opened his eyes to see a few dozens of branches floating over him. At least he was getting somewhere.

The following days went much like this. With no real plan but just idle wondering and practice. Most of the time he would practice in the forest, or if he felt braver in the middle of the fields; though he knew there was almost no one around in miles he couldn't help feeling watched.

The coffee was usually brewing when the first rays of sun touched the sprouting fields of the Kent farm. He relaxed into the sofa with a fresh cup. He guessed he felt idle because he was not going to classes as he was used to in the mornings. He didn't like taking time off college. He only had a few semesters to go before finishing his degree. Still, he kind of liked it here. He tried to imagine how it was for Superman to grow in this place like a regular kid. He wondered if he had been given the chance what type of kid he would have been.

He almost spilled the coffee catching such an absurd thought pass through his mind. What was he thinking? He was thankful he had understood there was no point in thinking of the 'what ifs'. It wasn't necessary to embrace the truth but accept it. He was going to look like this all his life and though that would sound great for some, he didn't like it one bit. He wondered how long he would be able to stay at some places before he had to move so people wouldn't notice. He wondered if the people of the town would notice, for he would like to return here later on. Then the idea of watching his friends grow-up and he always staying the same dragged him into a dark place in his thoughts. Forever sixteen… Forever a kid… Forever Superboy…

The cup shattered on his hand and for once not because he held it too tight. His powers had such terrible timing, he sighed before cleaning the mess and deciding to get out of the house. Though he didn't feel sure about it but he needed some fresh air (not that it was lacking around the farm), he grabbed the keys to the truck and drove towards town to pick some groceries.

His previous thought flew out the open truck window and got lost in the golden fields as he drove towards the town. He turned up the radio up. It was a country song, one that he was sure was popular in the area, not really his type of music but it made the feeling of driving through the open road a lot more enjoyable.

Right now, he was just a teenager lucky enough to get to drive and spend time without any adult supervision. This was as normal as he could get to feel.

Smallville was a small Kansas town and many suspected it would always be (not that it was a bad thing as the children who left usually did great in more ways that they could imagine). Once someone got wind of some juicy news, it didn't take long before the rest of the town to know. The boy looked a lot like Clark, way too much like him, which was the first thing everyone noticed. It would be more believable if they said siblings or even father and son, but cousins? They were from a small town, not… still they wondered what the truth town's people had a hard time not staring as he went into the first store he found.

The first time he walked into town to buy food he knew that he would not be able to leave unquestioned. Clark had warned him about this, and even helped create a story, though he didn't think it was that good of a story. Deceit was more of a Bat-family thing.

When he placed the few things he needed the old lady at the counter gave him a questioning look.

"Ehm… is there something wrong?" he asked trying to not look bothered by the staring. He knew the rest of the shoppers were also picking looks at him.

"Are you the boy who is living in the Kent farm? Clark's nephew?" she felt like a child poking at something odd with a stick, it gave her a giddily feeling.

"Cousin," he corrected before the owner of the small store nodded her soft cotton head (as if she believed him) remembering the first time she had spotted Martha with Clark, so young and amiable; nothing like this boy, "I am taking a small break from college and he said this would be a good place to stay"

"But you look so young" she could have sworn he didn't look over eighteen.

"I'm actually nineteen" he hoped that sounded believable. He tried to add to the effect with his best charming smile, which was a little crooked of course. He was not used to lying to sweet old ladies, "I am ahead a few years and Clark is a little worried about that. He told me to take some time off and sent me here. He says that this is the best place in the world to gather your thoughts"

"Smallville?" laughed the old lady, "I never thought he would miss this place so much"

"You didn't?" he smiled, but this time truthfully, "whenever we go to a steakhouse he always says the ones here are still the best"

"He says that?" she raised an skeptic eyebrow.

"Is one of the reasons I agreed to come here" he shrugged, it was sort of true.

The old lady laughed, her wrinkled cheeks turning smooth with a bit of the strain. It was just like men to go somewhere new as long as there was good meat.

"He must be referring to Joe's Steak House. Is a few stores down the street if you want to check it out"

"I will," he said picking up the paper bag that had been sitting in the counter for at least five minutes.

The old lady waved goodbye to him, cousin or not the kid was alright.

When he finally exited the small store, a smile still played on his lips. It was nice interacting like a normal person, though he didn't like the part about lying to them. He had made sure to come early so that he wouldn't get too much attention but he had forgotten that this was a small town where people usually woke up earlier than most. When he walked down the street towards the truck (not that he needed it, but Kal insisted for the sake of normality) he knew he was going to be the talk of the town for quite a while.


	3. Egging On (RR)

_**Warning! This chapter has changed drastically from its original version, meaning Chapter 4 will not have the continuation until revised and rewritten, hopefully shortly. Keep an eye out for the (RR)**_

AN UPDATE: Chapter revised and rewritten (RR)

_**Egging On**_

Summer days in Smallville were slow burning. There were not enough training or chores to fill out the hours. He ventured to town one afternoon. It was something he was doing more and more every time his mind got filled with too many thoughts, many of them which spiraled into chaos and dark places he believed he had long overcome. The street lights were dim amber and few in between, but this didn't stop the nightlife of the small town.

After a few weeks, the stares and the whispers were almost gone. There was a small bookstore he had taken a liking to. These little trips used to happen once every other week, but now he was coming at least twice a week. The bookstore owner waved at him the moment he came in.

"Already done with the last one?" Nathan Lewis, the owner, asked him with a pleased smile. The man was more used to teenagers coming in to check books for summer school reports; the shorter the better, and farmers looking for books to plant new types of crops which were to be expected.

He nodded, "I am looking for _A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man_ by James Joyce."

"Oh do I have a treat for you," Mr. Lewis went right around the counter and to one of his tallest shelves before pulling a hardcover copy. It wasn't the first edition, but second was good and it was in good state.

"I will take it," he said before Mr. Lewis rang his purchase, more than pleased to see that book go after five years of it sitting on the shelve.

Conner headed to the café to order a cup of coffee to go. Though he had improved his control, he still preferred to stay as far as possible from people. The Talon was one of the most popular places in town. Most of the youth gathered there to hang out. He had the feeling the décor hadn't changed since the eighties since every time he stepped in he felt transported back in time. When he got to the counter a cup was placed before him.

"I haven't-" he started to say to the man behind the counter, someone he realized he hadn't seen here before.

"Black, no sugar?" the tall blond man said with a raised eyebrow. He nodded before he started to pull out his wallet but was interrupted, "it's on the house, just tell Clark to drop by sometime to see his old friend Pete."

888

It wasn't the first time someone asked him to say hi or to ask Clark to visit, but there was something different about that man. The way his eyes studied him as if trying to see something else. As if he knew he was not who he claimed to be.

"Pete Ross?" Clark asked over the phone sounding pleasantly surprised.

"I guess," he didn't catch the last name.

"I didn't know he was back in Smallville. I guess he is helping his parents with the Talon," Clark said thoughtfully.

"Does he know?" he asked.

"I will go to town tomorrow," Clark said after a long silence.

He didn't question him further but after they were done talking he went back to the photo albums. He had been so concentrated on Clark he had barely noticed the other people surrounding him in the pictures. Unsurprisingly, a younger Pete Ross was in some of the pictures with Clark and a young red headed woman. The three of them seemed very close.

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Superman wondered if he was doing the right thing going into town so suddenly. He watched the home he grew up in through the Watchtower's cameras. He did this every once in a while to check on Conner without him knowing. He could call instead but didn't want him to think he didn't trust him. He probably had enough with Mrs. Lang dropping by so often.

"There is a new model from Wayne enterprises you might want to take a look into," Batman said behind him. He still couldn't understand how the man was able to sneak on him. He was looking at Conner as he tried to get his family's old tractor to work.

"I like my tractor," he said stubbornly. It wasn't the first time his friend brought this up.

"It's outdated," Batman said, "you have spent more in parts than what would cost you a new one."

"I like it," he repeated knowing it got on his nerves.

"Fine, how is he doing? Bored I imagine. There is no other way why he hasn't thrown that piece of junk as far as away as possible," Batman said with a smirk.

"He is making progress," Superman said proudly, "his control is getting better every day."

"Is he still collapsing from exhaustion afterward?" Batman asked with a smug smile

"Why do you ask if you already know?" Superman responded to which the bat only shrugged. "I am going to town tomorrow to see an old friend and check on him."

"You should give him more space," Batman told him.

"I am," Superman said.

"Right," the dark knight said turning around "and your cousin? You write for the news, couldn't you think of something better?"

And he was gone before Superman could think of a retort.

8888

M'gann stared at the endless void that was space as she brought the ship back from a mission. She allowed the Bioship to navigate on its own as she lost herself on the past few days. She knew Nightwing wanted to ask about her reaction back on the Kent farm. The issue was not that she didn't know what happened but that she did and it scared her. She didn't know if she was brave enough to tell him. Then she thought back to the countless times she felt his gaze on her as if hoping to find the answer to her indiscretion in the way she interacted with others or on her own. Good luck with that, she wished she could tell him about it by just looking at him so she wouldn't be fighting with herself like this.

She wished that at least he would approach her to ask her, but she knew Nightwing. He would not ask her if he thought it was related to her previous relation to Conner; if it was just that simple.

"Atomic wedgie!" she heard Kid Flash shout reenacting a recent feat on the 'bad guys', "eeeh!" and the he gave a shrill cry reenacting his victims suffering.

"I still can't believe you did that!" laughed Beast Boy as Blue shook his head in disbelieve. He had to save the kid from being torn to pieces by the Weather Wizard. Even the lamest of super villains had breaking points.

To make things even greater, she had been assigned to this mission with three rookies. Since Conner was gone and the rest of the Team was already on assignments she had no other choice. Finally making up her mind she decided to talk to Nightwing when they got back to the base.

As she walked through the quiet halls she realized it was hard to believe that only a few weeks ago almost everything that wasn't attached to the floors or walls had been floating about. Even some of the League and Team members had been at a loss when others had to bring them back to the ground. She walked trying to organize what she would tell Nightwing when she found him in the control room. She stopped when she heard laughing. Maybe she should wait until the next day. She didn't want to intrude.

She took a shaky breath and continued. She couldn't hold this anymore. When she entered the control room she saw Zatanna leaning on the control panel and Nightwing facing away from her.

"M'gann, you are back!" Zatanna said with a cheerful smile as M'gann tried to offer one of her own, but failed.

"I leave this in your capable hands," Nightwing said to Zatanna who gave him a mocking military salute.

Without the need to be told M'gann followed him into another hallway and towards one of the lounges usually used by the leaguers after a long day. There was a small table with two chairs sitting across from each other which they were fast to occupy. He stared directly at her as she kept her eyes on the small white table. From one moment to the next she would bite her lower lip wondering how she should start.

"Well?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"This is not easy," she said intertwining her fingers on her lap, "I don't know where to start"

"You make me wish I wasn't so curious," he said with a smirk, "is it that bad?"

"You remember what I told you about White Martians?" she thought it was the best way to start. He nodded, of course, he would remember, "I didn't go into detail back then why the White Martians were considered less than the Green Martians. Thousands of years ago our people were explorers and conquerors. The Green Martians were the minds, and the White Martians were the muscle. We spent so long time fighting that it became part of our nature, whether we want it or not."

"Even now," he said with a frown.

"Yes, even now," she said not able to look at him directly in the eye, "even though the wars are long over as we mature those instincts become stronger. Over time, most of us are able to control them, but every once in a while there is an outside source, which we can't control that awakens those instincts."

"And Conner is that outside source" he saw the fright in her eyes, "why?"

"I wish you could feel it," she said with a pained smile and shaking hands, just remembering made those instincts try to unravel inside her stomach like a thunderstorm, "his power is so raw. When I first sensed it here I thought we were being attacked. I was ready… I was ready to eliminate the threat at all cost" she said the last part with a frown since she couldn't fully understand it.

"You were willing to kill-" Nightwing started to ask her.

"But I didn't know it was him!" she said fast. She didn't want him for a moment to think that she would willingly hurt her friends, "when I realized it was him I was frightened. It's easy to hurt your enemies, but your friends…"

"So that back in the farm was you controlling yourself," he said more to himself than her. He didn't want to believe it was that bad but by looking at her troubled expression, he knew it was. Part of him wished this was more of an ex-lovers quarrel but as usual, with their line of work it was not "if he controls his powers…" he thought this had to be the source of the whole issue, "… if he controls his powers then you will be able to…"

"Not snap and tear his throat out?" she looked away from him.

"…be able to work together again" he completed before reaching for her hand and holding it in his, "we are part of a team, a great team and I want us all to remain like this as long as possible." He knew and the others messed up with M'gann and Conner the previous year. The last thing he wanted was to push them away any further.

"I don't know if I can," and by then the tears were running down her face. She was not just afraid of what she would do to him, but she was also afraid of what she might make Conner do. If she pushed him, she knew that raw power wouldn't be just for show.

"Just like I believe Conner will be able to control his powers, I also believe that you are not just instincts" he held her hand tighter hoping she would also believe in herself, "after all, you are the greatest telepath from Mars and that has ever touched Earth ground" and the small smile on her lips told him she would believe him and herself.

888

He was working on the tractor again when he heard Mrs. Lang's truck pull in front of the house. The old lady dropped by at least once a week with fruits and vegetables from her garden. He had tried to decline them at first but she wouldn't have it. He put on his shirt as he walked to the front of the house.

"Working on the tractor again?" she asked with a short laugh after seeing his grease-stained hands, "I swear Jonathan had a magic touch when it came to that old thing. No one else could fix it"

"I am starting to think that might be true," he said opening the door for her. It was mandatory that she had, at least, one cup of coffee with him and make sure he wasn't close to burning the house down.

After serving each other a cup he sat across from her.

"I heard you met Pete last night," she said before he gave her a surprised look, "news travels fast in small towns. He came back last week; sent his parents on a nice vacation for the remainder of the summer."

"Clark was surprised when I told him," and the fact that he didn't explain more to him worried him.

"He left Smallville to study law and right now he is a lobbyist in Washington. He is a good man; he always visits and helps his parents when he is on vacation," Mrs. Lang said with a faraway look.

"Were he and Clark good friends?" they had to be from the pictures he saw.

"Since I can remember," Mrs. Lang said "Clark was a fragile kid so he couldn't play often with the other kids, but Pete was able to get past that and still became friends with Clark and my Lana. Those three used to get into all sort of trouble."

He knew Clark wasn't allowed to play with the other kids because he might hurt them by accident. Still, he wondered if Pete Ross knew. And Lana, she had to be the redhead in the pictures.

"I just wish he had brought my grandson with him, but it was Lana's turn to look after him," Mrs. Lang sighed before she caught his curious stare "he and my daughter were married for a few years."

"I see," a picture started forming in his mind; two young men and a young woman who had grown close to each other over time; only one meant to be in her favors. It was a tragedy just asking to happen.

"It didn't take you long to figure it out, right?" Mrs. Lang said with another short laugh. It seemed she had gotten over this some time ago, but it was still very new to him. "Clark left Smallville first, pretty much pushing Lana into Pete's arms. Then the two of them left together for Washington, but whatever happened between the three of them got in the way."

Clark in a love triangle? He could barely believe it.

"They named my grandson Clark, Clark Peter Ross," the woman said and watched pleased with herself the shock on Conner's face.

"R-really?" he asked wondering what Clark had thought about that.

"I guess they thought it was a good idea at the time," Mrs. Lang said pulling from her purse the picture of a boy no more than five years old. He had the same blond hair as Pete Ross and bright smile, "he is a sweet child."

"Clark said he might be visiting," he didn't sense any bad intentions from Pete Ross the night before but he wondered how that would go.

"That would be nice though you shouldn't tell anyone else. I am sure there are some dunderheads who will start making bets," Mrs. Lang said with a slight roll of her eyes.

"So, it's no secret what happened between them," he asked.

"They have always been the source of talk because how could they not? Pete is a recognized lobbyist in DC, Clark a world renowned reporter, and my Lana; even if I say so myself is one of the best electrical engineers in the country," they probably were the examples parents always used to tell their kids they could do better; almost like legends.

8888

It was hard to lose Clark in any crowd. He didn't care what people said about the suit or the glasses, to him it was just impossible. He arrived on the last bus to town, at once catching the attention of everyone around him. Everyone who was on good terms with him, who was almost everyone, said hi to him or tried to stop him so they could talk to him. He couldn't help laughing a little at his expense.

"I have to go, maybe another time," Clark said escaping the clutches of a few women and hurrying to him. "Are you doing well?"

"We talked on the phone last night," he told him with a skeptical look.

"Right," Clark said before Conner realized he was looking straight at the Talon, "let's go.""

The Talon was busier than the night before with the baristas and waitresses all over the place. They spotted Pete Ross in the middle of the whole thing trying to keep something that resembled order. It took him a moment to spot them. His expression was one of a slight surprise but then became unreadable.

"Will be right with you," he called over before turning to one of the baristas, "Tanya, be so kind as to sit them in the private booth."

"Yes boss," the young woman said before hurrying to them, then she realized who they were, her cheeks turned red as Clark offered her a kind smile, "ehm, this way please."

"Do you want me to go?" he asked after they were led to a small booth at the back of the café. He had the feeling whatever they had to say would not be pretty.

"It's fine Conner," Clark said before asking him with a curious look, "someone told you something?"

"Mrs. Lang," he admitted before Clark sighed.

"She still sorts of resents me for leaving Smallville and Lana back then. She thinks if I had stayed Lana would have too," Clark said and Conner realized what the woman told him might have been too one-sided.

"So, there was something between you," he asked having difficulty looking at him straight in the eye. They never talked about stuff like this. It was more like, how did the mission go? Great, and so on.

"Very short lived," Clark admitted before the two of them sensed Pete Ross approaching them.

"Alright, explain," Pete said placing a tray with cups of coffee on the table and sitting across from them with crossed arms.

"What can I say, I have a bigger family than I thought," Clark said with a relaxed smile.

"That doesn't work with me, Clark. Kara, I understood. But he just looks too much like you, though a bit more on the gloomy side," Pete said giving the frowning Conner a curious look.

"I am not gloomy," he said in his defense.

"Pete does know about us as you can tell, but only you can tell him about yourself if you want," Clark said to him.

"I am his clone," he said taking one of the cups of coffee and trying to hide his embarrassment. He thought this was about their previous history, not him.

"Right," Pete laughed but when neither one of them joined him he looked back and forth between them, "wait, you are serious."

"Very," he said trying to enjoy his drink.

"Man, I know you said there was the chance that you couldn't have kids, but cloning yourself?" Pete said giving Clark a worried look.

It was entertaining to see Clark almost choke on his coffee. He opened his mouth trying to explain the truth but he beat him to it.

"He didn't make me. Someone else did without him knowing," he told Pete.

"Oh, that makes more sense," Pete said, though he didn't look convinced, "so he is like your…"

"Little brother," the two of them said at the same time.

"But to the world, your cousin," Pete said to which they both nodded "and I thought congress was crazy. So, what is the real reason you are here? Are we in some sort of danger?"

"I am learning to use my new abilities," he said making their cups of coffee lift off the table and then putting them down.

"Can you do that? It would have been a lot of help when the nights got busy here" Pete asked and Clark laughed.

"His abilities are different, we think it might be because he is also part human," Clark said.

"And it's more complicated, isn't it?" Pete said slightly exasperated. It seemed the man had seen his fair share of strange things.

"It always is with our kind," Clark said with a strained smile.

"Don't say it like that Clark; you know she didn't mean it," Pete said, a frown started to appear.

"But she was right," Clark said.

"I think I will go…" he said getting up. He didn't want to hear whatever followed.

"I take it back. He is a lot like you. Always running off when things get uncomfortable" Pete said with a smirk.

"Now how should I take that?" Clark said jokingly.

"Like a Kent," Pete said, "now there is something strange…"

He wished coffee among other things had an actual effect on them. He went to the counter to order something else and had well in mind to go outside and clear his mind from what he had heard. Still, even with the fresh air he couldn't.

"Heads up!" he heard someone shout after he saw the football flying towards his head. He caught it in one hand before facing the young men watching him with wide eyes. "Sorry man, I didn't see you there," one said as he hurried to Conner who tossed him the ball back "didn't hurt you, right?"

"I'll manage," he knew one of them threw it at him on purpose. They were kids maybe around sixteen to seventeen and with nothing better to do.

"Want to hang out with us?" one of them asked.

"Pass," he said wishing he was on a mission instead. Any mission would probably be better than this.

"Why? You aren't doing anything," the kid asked him with a glare.

"Probably thinks he is too good to hang out with us," one of his companions whispered.

"What a prick," another one said.

"I am waiting for Clark," he said giving a look back at the Talon. He hated having to explain himself but he didn't want to start a fight, especially since he still didn't have full control of his powers.

"What about tomorrow? We are having a party at James' place," the kid that threw the football at him said.

"Dude," one of the other two said not bothering to hide he didn't want him around.

"I don't think-" he started to say when the door to the Talon opened and Clark walked out.

"You should go," he said taking him by surprise, "it will be fun."

"Clark-" he started to say before Clark glanced at the kids, something else was going on, "fine."

"He-Hello Mr. Kent," the kids said.

"Clark is fine boys, say hi to your parents for me," Clark said before they started walking towards the truck parked not too far off.

"That didn't take long," he said as Clark placed his luggage on the back.

"Pete was just worried that you being here meant there was some type of danger and was curious about you," Clark said, "strange things have happened here, and not all necessarily related to me."

"Will you stay long?" he asked as he started the truck.

"Only until tomorrow, I would like to test how your strength is fairing," Clark said as they pulled out of the center of town.

"It doesn't feel much different," he said with a frown, "but what was that about? Why do you want me to go? You know I don't like parties."

"It has to do with an old legend about one of the founding families of the town. Kids usually dare each other to spend an hour alone in the woods," Clark explained

"Of course, they do," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"I did it too," Clark said before he glared at him, he set that one up, "either way Pete told me there have been sightings of something in the woods. I would usually not think much of it, but it has been fifty years since the last time this happened."

"And something happened back then," and it had to be exactly the year he stayed in Smallville.

"Some kids disappeared and were never found, and thus, we have a dare. Pete and I searched the whole length of the woods back when we were in high school but we never found any clue," Clark admitted with a frown.

"What about Lana?" he asked.

"Lana thought we were being stupid. At the end of that summer when we found nothing that was how we felt," Clark said before pausing for a long time, "I should have told you about them, I am sorry."

"It's fine," he said keeping his eyes on the road, "if you trust them so do I."

He couldn't demand from Clark all of his secrets because he had his own. The memory that kept coming back to him every night was still something he held tightly only to himself. He knew how it was to exist in the peacefulness of an empty world. There was no fear, no worries, just yourself and your scattered thoughts. That memory was the point where he lost all of that and started to become aware of who he was, what he was, and the many responsibilities and expectations which awaited him.

The following morning he woke up to the smell of breakfast. The last time he remembered waking up to such a smell was when he lived back in Mount Justice. When it was the weekend, M'gann would bring the breakfast to bed for the two of them. But this was different. The fresh air of the countryside mixed with the scent of food someone else was cooking made him bury his face in the pillow and want to sleep a while longer.

"Breakfast is ready!" Clark called before he remembered he had stayed on the couch even after Conner told him he could have his bed back.

He threw on some clothes on and went downstairs. He found Clark in the kitchen getting his usual cup of coffee. There were some quirks he knew were undeniably from Clark, but he absolutely didn't mind their obsession over having one or more cups of coffee every morning. It had absolutely no effect on them but they couldn't let it go. Not that they wanted to. He went to get some coffee too with a lazy good morning before sitting at the table where a plate of waffles awaited him.

"Mrs. Lang stopped earlier. She said I should tell you to not get into trouble when you go to the party," Clark said sitting down with a humorous smirk since it was he who was making him go.

"We are talking about probably most of the teenagers from around town, unsupervised and daring each other to go into the woods," he said pouring what M'gann used to call an unhealthy amount of syrup over the waffles.

"Don't forget the beer they are going to sneak through the back," Clark said before he gave him a questioning look. He said he had gone to those parties too back when he was in high school, "what can I say that I can't blame in peer pressure?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they park a police car in front of the house," he said wondering if there was a chance for him to not go.

"Oh, they have tried, but the kids usually just move the party somewhere else. At least this way we know where they are," Clark said, "just in case you were thinking about calling them while there."

888

He was no stranger to training with Kal. When he first started he only found it infuriating. Every time he tested his strength against him the gap just became more noticeable. Over time, he learned to overcome it and accept it. He couldn't stop trains, but really, how often was that necessary? He could tear tanks and even airplanes apart. He could be hit by missiles and the worst that could happen was the loss of some of his clothes.

"C'mon Kon El," Kal said with a frown. His hands were clenched around his as he tried to push him back.

"I am trying," he said through gritted teeth. The first time they did this was to measure his strength, and he had hated it. He was putting everything he had and Clark didn't even move an inch. This was no different. From the corner of his eye, he saw a log fly and then hit Kal on the side.

"That's not fair," Kal said with a frown.

"Wasn't on purpose," he said with wide eyes before he had an idea. He shifted the ground under Clark's footing and made him step back, "that was."

"You are stronger," Clark said with raised eyebrows and flexing his hands.

"What are you talking about?" he wouldn't have moved an inch if he hadn't shifted the ground.

"You are, and I am not counting the cheating," Clark said as they started walking back through the fields.

"It's not cheating, its strategic advantage," he said.

"Keep telling yourself that."

888

The sun was already setting and the dreadful hour was arriving. He still had to drop Clark at the bus stop for appearances but knew it wouldn't buy him too much time.

"You are letting your hair grow?" Clark asked him as he brushed his hair back with his hand. He hadn't thought about it until then.

"Not much or next time Black Canary sees me she is going to try to cut it herself again," he had been tempted back then to just shave it but worried it would make him look too much like a certain egomaniac that preferred that look. Then, he noticed Clark watching him as they left the house, "What?"

"It's nice to see you go out without someone having to drag you," he said with a shrug.

"I am trying to see this as a mission, don't ruin it," he said with a short laugh, but then noticed Clark's serious expression.

"You miss it?" he asked him.

"I have been doing it for most of my life," he said and had the feeling it was the wrong thing to say because now he looked more worried. He couldn't stand him looking at him that way, "let's go, or you will miss your 'flight'."

The drive to the bus station was an uncomfortable one. Clark asked him to be careful and to call him if he needed anything. He said he would before he left to board the bus to Kansas City.

A whole hour passed and he didn't move from where he parked.

"We said we wouldn't have any more secrets," he started not knowing if Clark was listening to him, "so yeah, since I got here I have been wondering what it would've been like if I had an actual childhood, what type of kid I would have been or if I would have been happy growing up in a place like this. But you know what? It's stupid to think about things like that. Thinking of the 'would haves' is pointless. It's not going to change anything… but I still think about it. When I least expect it, those thoughts sneak into my head. Sometimes I wonder if I am going crazy or if it's just those Luthor genes showing their ugly bald heads; which I guess it's the same thing. The guy is nuts. Anyways, if you are listening know that even though things aren't great I am in an okay place. So, don't look at me that way, as if I didn't like my life."

He concentrated his hearing in the direction Clark had gone to but didn't hear a response. He also didn't call him but even if he did, what could he say?

888

He parked the truck in front of James Walker's house and immediately felt out of place. These kids were the same physical age as him, but he was nothing like them. He had been to parties like this back in high school and some when he started going to college. M'gann always dragged him to them, but no matter what they tried, he just couldn't quite fit in.

"You actually came," the kid he had come to know as James said sitting in front with a cup of what he was sure was not soda.

He shrugged, "I didn't have an excuse not to."

"Hilarious," the kid said though he didn't seem to find it too funny.

"And Clark told me about the dare," he added after a quick scan of the woods. Everything seemed normal.

"You up for it?" the kid asked standing up.

"Sure," yeah, because he liked wondering around the woods in the dark because of some stupid bet.

" Then c'mon!" he said leading him inside the house, it was so swamped with teenagers and loud music he had trouble moving towards the kitchen where they had a large board with names pinned to it, "add another name to the pool!"

"Him?" one of the girls attending it asked before he nodded. She pulled a piece of paper and seemed unsure of what to write.

"Conner Kent," he told her noticing a few empty kegs. She still seemed unsure in her drunken stupor before he took the paper from her and wrote his own name before placing it on the board.

"So, we are doing things a little different. It's supposed to be no more than an hour but we are betting whoever last the longest gets half of the lot," James said pointing at a jar filled to the brim with money.

"And the rest?" he asked curiously.

"Party stuff," James said as the back door opened and more kegs were brought in, "just relax in the meanwhile. There is some time left before it starts." James handed him a cup and left with his friends.

"What is that prick doing here?" one of the kids he saw James with the night before said when he finally spotted him. He met his glare with an indifferent one.

"Shut up Nelson, he entered the bet," James said before he dragged his friend back to the living room offering Conner a fake apologetic smile. He concentrated his hearing on the two of them.

"You are kidding, a city kid won't even last ten minutes," Nelson said disgustedly. The feeling was mutual.

"I know, I didn't tell him about the punishment for whoever lasted the least," James responded.

"Dude, that's awesome," Nelson laughed.

"So, you are in college?" Conner stopped listening to the two of them and realized the girls looking after the betting board was looking at him as if he was no better than prey.

"Yes," he responded.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" one of them asked with a suggestive smile.

"Oh Linda!" the other gasped in fake excitement.

"So…" Linda said walking towards him.

"I am not interested," he said turning around and walking into the living room.

The two girls were left gaping at him before they started throwing curses at him; nothing that he hadn't heard before.

"Man, you just turned down Linda?" James asked him.

"She doesn't know any better," he said trying to get out of the crowded house. He really hated crowded places.

"Oh right, I forgot you are older than us. Takes the thrill out of things, right?" James said following him with ease.

"Everything is about the same," he said finally getting out and no one got hurt. That was always good.

"Is that so…" James looked at him confused.

"Be it now or in twenty years, in the city or countryside, men and women they don't usually stray from what they know," he told James taking a sip from the cheap keg beer.

"I think you need to drink some more or maybe you had too much," James said drinking from his own cup.

He couldn't help to laugh since alcohol couldn't do anything to him. Not even anesthetics worked on him which made it a pain when he really got hurt.

"I will take that as being too much," James said with a tilted smile before leaving him alone.

He listened to the chatter of the house for any clue that him being there was worth it, but found it all too common and familiar to his own years in High School. In a way, it was comforting that things didn't change much as he remained the same. He sat on the front porch, a few people trying to make small talk with him, some trying to flirt, and all eventually leaving when they realized he wasn't interested.

"Well, you look miserable," he heard someone say before he turned his head a saw a red headed kid he hadn't seen before walk towards him from the side of the house.

"I don't like parties," he said as the kid looked cautiously towards the front door. He had the feeling he wasn't supposed to be there.

"Then why are you here?" the kid asked keeping his distance.

"For the same reason why I went to all others before," he said thinking of his friends and Clark.

"Hey who invited you freak!" he saw James and Nelson sneak behind the red headed kid.

"No one, you just happen to be on the site on my next research," the kid said as Nelson twisted his arm behind his back.

"Which is?" James asked with a sneer he couldn't hide. There was history between these two.

"To see how many Neanderthals go into the woods and how many come back out thinking they are now men," the red headed kid was either too brave or too stupid, he thought as Nelson twisted his arm further. The kid was no match for him with his skinny frame.

"You are-" James started to say.

"Make him go into the woods," he said standing up, towering over the three of them.

"What?" they all asked looking at him with a mix of confusion, shock, and anger.

"Make him go into the woods with the rest, and then maybe he will understand," he said as they released the kid who was trying very hard not to rub his shoulder.

"Understand what?" the red headed kid asked him.

"You will see," he told the red headed kid before looking at James and Nelson, "if you guys agree."

"I like the idea," James said after a moment.

"But James-" Nelson started to say.

"What do you choose Simon; we hang you from the flagpole again, or you take the bet," James asked his with a sneering smile.

"The bet," Simon responded right away.

"Then drink, you are going to need it," James shoved a drink into his hands before he and his lackey went back inside the house. He went back to sit on the porch. The kid sat next to him with the cup before he took a sip.

"Bleh," he stuck his tongue out before emptying the cup on the grass. Then he turned to look at him, "why did you do that? There is nothing special about going into the woods."

"For them, it is," he said thinking of how Clark recalled those memories fondly.

"You mean like a passage into adulthood?" Simon rolled his eyes at him.

"No, you will see," he said gaining a better understanding too.

The time finally arrived and he counted a total of seventeen kids who would participate including him.

"No teaming up and any of that stuff," Linda said pausing a moment to glare at him, "and the last one to return wins."

The moment he entered the tree line he felt something familiar, like a buzz that made his skin crawl. It was magic. He scanned the woods and soon saw the kids who had gone in all walk towards a single direction, their feet dragging and their stares empty.

"I can't believe is real," he heard before he noticed Simon was watching the rest through infrared binoculars.

"What is?" he said rushing to him.

"Where the hell did you come from!" the kid jumped back removing his binoculars.

"Simon, what's going on? Where are they going?" he asked trying to contain the shivers running through his back. Something felt very wrong.

"You mean you don't know? You are a Kent, aren't you?" Simon asked him passing a hand in front of his face.

"Kid-" he said and held his wrist to stop him.

"I will explain in the way, I know exactly where they are going," he said looking in the direction the rest were walking.

The kid started to run and he followed him closely. Though the kid was skinny he could move with ease through the woods, as if he knew them like the back of his hand.

"My grandpa told me the story when I was a little kid. He said Kents and Valentines are supposed to protect Smallville from _them. _I didn't believe it until I saw one of them a few nights ago. I don't think I ever ran that fast before in my life," Simon chuckled nervously.

"What did you see?" he asked, the buzz in his skin only increasing.

"A Hollow Man," he said after a moment of silence, and then he started to explain "back in 1871 Smallville when through a horrible scorching summer, with no rains over a month. People were really scared. Most of them were just settling, so they thought the land was cursed. However, they were kept calm thanks to the sheriff; Nate Kent and his deputy Albert Valentine. If it wasn't for them looting and chaos would have reigned, but they kept the peace with a firm but fair hand."

Simon looked back at him to make sure he was following. He gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

"All followed the rules for the exception of Eben Took and his family," Simon continued, "my grandpa told me Eben had once been a respected doctor in England until his bizarre practice and arcane studies led to the ruin of his reputation. The darkest rumors said that Eben even dabbled in Necromancy and Witchcraft and was forced from England and that's why he moved to Kansas in the 1840's. His family grew in that small farm, cutting themselves away from the rest of town."

"That's where we are going," he cursed internally for having left his communicator back in the house. He checked his cell phone and found he didn't even have a signal. He could use the help of Zatanna or anyone who dabbled in magic.

"Yeah, aren't you freaked out?" Simon asked him surprised.

"You remember who my cousin is?" he asked with a grim smile. He really should leave the kid behind, but he was sure he knew something that could help him.

"Right, so in some rare occasions Eben's kids would go into town and cause trouble," Simon said not emanating as much fear as before; good, he needed the kid to keep a cool head. "It was even worse during that summer. They terrorized and looted the town every chance they got. So, of course, they got on the bad side of the sheriff and his deputy. The last straw was when a boy from the Talbot family, James' family, disappeared playing in his own backyard. There were no clues as of what happened to the poor kid until thirteen days later they found his body in the swamp. He was murdered and mutilated, a bunch of strange symbols carved into his flesh. No one could figure out what happened with the exception of Nate Kent. He realized the kid wasn't mutilated, but operated on."

"Took…" he said clenching his fists. It went unsaid that could happen to those kids if they didn't find a way to stop it.

"Not to defend the guy, but even though there wasn't real proof the sheriff rounded up a mob that night and headed to the Took farm. Of course, they weren't welcomed nicely by Eben's inbred sons. Nate Kent wanted to end things peacefully, only asking for Eben but his sons wouldn't have it. They shot Albert Valentine and though it didn't kill him it set all of hell loose," Simon said with a flinch, as if in physical pain. He guessed he could also feel the magic in the air.

"Your grandfather knew all of this?" he asked wondering why the Kents didn't tell Clark about this.

"Some, and some came from the library," Simon told him, "but it isn't the end. The mob burned the Took farm. Most of the women and children ran away from the house but they couldn't find old Eben. Nate Kent figured out that the old man had to be hiding in an old concrete silo near the house. Once inside, he found it empty. He was a smart guy I guess. He didn't believe in the witchcraft and sorcery until he found a trapdoor inside." Simon said slowing down for a moment, his stamina starting to drain.

"What did he find?" he asked checking for the kids behind them. They were still a good distance away.

"I don't know," the kid almost came to a stop with a worried frown "Nate Kent didn't even tell his trusted deputy saying it was something no mortal soul should ever know and would take the burden with him to the grave. He had the old silo filled with dynamite and then blown to bits. Old Eben and thirteen of his grandchildren were never found. Then, some years later kids started to disappear into the woods always without leaving a trace. Then it started happening every fifty years. The Took cursed the Kents and Valentines according to my grandpa because they never took kids from our families so we usually ended up looking guilty. That's why we are not affected like them," Simon concluded.

"But I am not related to the Kents from here by blood," he said to Simon.

"Could have fooled me," the kid threw him a shaky smile before picking up his pace.

"Clark never said anything about this," he said when the end of the woods came to sight.

"So that's the reason you were there," Simon said as they reached the end, but stopped. Something in the air changed making it difficult to breathe.

"Pete Ross and Clark investigated these woods years ago but they never found anything. Pete was worried something was going on when he heard the rumors about the sighting. Clark asked me to look into it. I didn't think anything would happen," he said, his eyes never straying from the ruins of what used to be the old silo. There was an otherworldly glow to the place, and he was pretty sure that from the shadows they were being watched.

"Look," Simon said before they watched figures walk out of the shadows. The exact number of kids heading their way but they were not human. Their skin was like sand, their eyes empty. They were like ghouls dressed in overalls and large farming hats.

"You have to go back," he told Simon never losing sight of them.

"What? Why?" the kid glared at him.

"Try to keep the rest from reaching this point until I can get those things to stop," he said trying to sense anything that could help him, but the magic was disrupting his concentration.

"No offense, but you can't fight the whole lot of them," Simon said crossing his arms.

"I am not looking to fight them, just stop them from controlling the others but I won't be able to do that if they get here. We don't know how far their control goes," he said, since those things weren't really alive he could go all out on them, but the moments those kids reached them he would have to pull back.

"Oh man, just don't get killed, alright?" Simon said pulling out a rope from a backpack he was carrying before running back.

He waited a moment to make sure the kid didn't double back and then stepped out of the woods to face the creatures. They gave long sinister moans the moment they spotted him. It was nice to see he was considered a real member of the Kent family.

"Where is your boss" he demanded but only got more long blood chilling moans in response, "you asked for it."

He punched through the first one and broke him as if he was no better than wet paper. He was shocked for a second before turning around and punching another. Then, he spotted a wooden door on the ground that opened up. More of those things started to crawl out. He punched one after another and another. They were weak but numerous. He spotted a few going towards the woods, probably to stop Simon. He hated the feeling of it but he concentrated on all of the ones surrounding him before blowing them back. He struck the ones that had been headed into the woods. His senses were burning with the large number of them crawling out of the hole. He had to keep from using his new power as much as possible since it tired him fast.

He was sure hours had passed as his limbs grew tired of keeping them from the woods. Then, from one moment to the next, most of the creatures started towards the woods as if in desperation. He saw in the distance the sun rise and knew they couldn't stay. With the last of his strength, he concentrated on them and howled back just for long enough for the sun of the new day to hit them. He watched in horrified fascination as they disintegrated. He was a half-alien clone, but he was pretty sure that meant they were made of dark magic. He hurried to the place where the trap door was and found it gone.

With his hands on the ground, he concentrated on what was below but found no trace of the place where they came from. He hated magic.

"You are alive!" he heard Simon shout before seeing the kid run towards him, but stopping dead when he saw the piles of dust "what the hell happened?"

"They can't stand in the sunlight," he didn't need to know he had probably fought hundreds of those things, "where are the rest?"

"Tied up to a tree?" Simon said sheepishly, but when he gave him an acknowledging nod the kid relaxed, "so what now?"

"We let the professionals handle it," meaning he had to call Nightwing for backup.

"What? That's it? This is like the coolest thing that has ever happened to me," Simon snapped at him.

"It's too dangerous," he said wondering if the kid was crazy.

"Whatever," the kid said turning around and marching back into the woods.

He sighed before he too walked back. When they reached the rest of those who took the bet, they were already been untied by the sheriff and his deputies. None of them seemed to remember what happened but they didn't miss that Simon and Conner were missing.

"Not again," the old sheriff said remembering the last time this happened back when he was just a kid.

"What happened?" Simon asked faking surprise when they reached them.

"Same thing I want to ask you two," the sheriff said looking at Conner as if he was a ghost. He had heard he looked a lot like Clark, but the resemblance was incredible, "where were you two?"

"I am not sure," he started to say ignoring the look Simon was giving him, "one moment we were in the woods and the next we were standing in some old clearing."

The sheriff nodded at him with an incredulous smile, "too much like Clark," he said under his breath but Conner heard him just right. Still, the old sheriff didn't question him any further and then said to all the shocked kids, "listen the lot of you. Count yourselves lucky because kids have disappeared before around this place. You are not to go into the woods for the rest of the summer. Got it?"

There was a chorus of 'yes sir' from the kids.

"Then get moving, your parents are worried sick waiting for you at Talbot farm," the sheriff told them before some of the kids fidgeted but walked back nonetheless. "Wait you two," the sheriff said to him and Simon. "Do you two know what you are getting involved with?"

"I don't know what-" Simon started to say.

"I was a deputy back when I caught your cousin and Ross in these woods. They were lucky nothing happened to them because unlike them I saw someone walk into these woods and never come back, my older brother. When I was made sheriff my predecessor and your grandpa told me the story, Valentine. I know you two weren't affected," the sheriff said taking them by surprise.

"Sir, I-" Simon tried again to say something, but he placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. The sheriff gave a crooked smile at the two of them.

"Thanks for looking after them, but from this point on you are to stay out of it. There is going to be a very strict curfew put in place starting tonight," he told them.

"Understood," he replied hoping this would help.

"Okay…" Simon said more reluctantly.

"Now run along before I lock you up. I know you Simon and I bet you aren't too different from your cousin," the sheriff said before they walked back.

He had to cross town to get back to the Kent farm but decided to stop at the Talon for a well-deserved cup of coffee and something else. He found Pete Ross waiting for him at one of the small tables on the side. He gave him a raised eyebrow look before he went to sit across from him.

"No one went missing," he said with a pleased smile.

"But it isn't over," he told him before checking no one was listening to them and then telling him what happened.

"Clark and I had no idea the Kents and Valentines were involved. Who would have thought? I guess I was lucky nothing happened that year," Pete said with a slight shiver.

"I don't understand how come I wasn't affected. I am not really a-" he started to say before Pete raised his hand to stop him.

"To be a Kent," Pete said thoughtfully, "doesn't mean you must be related by blood. Since the town has a memory they have always led by example. Clark was taught the same values and he passed them on to you. That makes you a Kent in the eyes of whatever protects or lurks around this place."

"It isn't enough," he said with a pained smiled. He hated feeling useless, "I am calling some magic users."

"Be careful of who you call, we don't know if this curse could also affect them," Pete told him.

He left with plenty of complimentary coffee; he was starting to like Pete Ross. However, his mood turned for the worse when he got back to the farm. He found the whole front of the place covered in smashed eggs. This was the last thing he needed, he thought before he spotted one of the red drinking cups used at the party. He held his temper back worried the house would pay the price. He went in and got his communicator.

"Nightwing," he called before hearing a long yawn from the other end. It wasn't strange for him to go to bed with his communicator on.

"Do you know what time it is?" Nightwing said.

"I need your help with two problems," he told him before getting his full attention.

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OLD CHAPTER VERSION

Becoming Superboy 3

Jannet Lang couldn't help but to stare at the young man walking towards them as he put on a black shirt. It wasn't just the fact that he was very fit, but that he looked so much like Clark. The same bright blue eyes, dark hair, and strong jaw; it was like looking at a ghost from the past.

"You must be Conner, we are the Langs" Howard Lang approached the boy first as his wife carried a basket with fruits and vegetables from her garden.

"Nice to meet you," he said with a polite smile as he cleaned the grease from his hand on a towel before shaking Howard's hand, "Clark said you might come by. Would you like something to drink?"

"Maybe another day," Howard said glad to see the boy was actually very polite and hard working by the stains on his clothes. He was sure he was working on the old tractor Clark refused to let die, "we thought we might drop some greens in our way to town"

"Thanks" he said before Jannet handed him the basket, "please come by again. I would really like to hear how Clark was like when he lived here"

"Do we have some stories for you then," Jannet said with a smile before she and her husband left with a feeling of accomplishment.

Conner took the basket inside and grabbed a bright red apple before going back outside. He sat against the house's wall and ate the apple as he contemplated the old engine he had taken apart. He had taken it apart four times and put it back 3 and the darn thing still wouldn't work. He contemplated on replacing some of the parts but believed it would be mostly useless. Clark it seems had also tried that a few times and most of the parts were rather new.

He sighed wondering what he had missed back at the tower. He would much prefer a mission to this.

Back in the Watchtower Superman tried not to act surprised as he finally noticed Batman standing next to him as he used to Watchtower's cameras to check on Conner. He did this whenever he had the chance. He also called but tried not to do it as often as he would like to give him some space.

"There is a new model from Wayne enterprises that you might want to look into" the dark knight said looking as Conner started to place the engine back together. He had to give the kid props for the patience.

"I like my tractor," Superman said remembering how his pa would be able to fix it almost like magic.

"Is outdated" Batman pointed out. He was sure Clark had spent more than twice the amount of a new tractor in new pieces that were almost impossible to find at that point.

"I like it," he simply repeated adamantly.

"Fine, how is the boy? Bored I imagine" maybe that was what gave the boy patience to deal with that old piece of junk.

"He is making progress" Superman said proudly, "his control is getting better every day"

"Is he still collapsing afterwards?" he asked with a smug smile.

"Why do you ask if you already know?" he asked before Bruce actually shrugged. No one would believe him but he would always remember, "Maybe I should go see him"

"Sometimes you just need to give them space," Batman said turning around to leave, "and your cousin? You write for a news blog, couldn't you think of something better?" and then he was off before the man of steel could come up with a retort.

M'gann stared at the endless void that was space as she brought the ship back from a mission. She allowed the Bio-ship to navigate on its own as she lost herself on the past few days. She knew Nightwing wanted to ask about her reaction with Conner back in the Kent farm. The issue was not that she didn't know what happened but that she did and it scared her. She didn't know if she was brave enough to tell him. Then she thought back on the countless times she felt his gaze on her, as if hoping to find the answer to her indiscretion in the way she interacted with other or on her own. Good luck with that, she thought wishing he could actually tell with just looking at her so she wouldn't be fighting with herself like this.

She wished that at least he would approach her to ask her, but she knew Nightwing. He would not ask her if he thought it was related to her previous relation to Conner. If it was just that simple.

"Atomic wedgie!" she heard Kid Flash shout reenacting a recent feat on the 'bad guys', "eeeh!" and the he gave a shrill cry reenacting his victims suffering.

"I still can't believe you did that!" laughed Beast Boy as Blue shook his head in misbelieve. He had to save the kid from being torn to pieces by the Weather Wizard. Even the lamest of super villains had breaking points.

To make things even more… great, she had been assigned to this mission with three rookies to look after on her own. Since Conner was gone and the rest of the Team was already on assignments she had no other choice but to look after all three. Finally making up her mind she decided to talk to Nightwing when they got back to the base.

As she walked through he quiet halls she realized it was hard to believe that only a few days ago almost everything that wasn't attached to the floors or walls had been floating about. Even some of the league and team members had been at loss when others had to bring them back to the ground. She walked trying to organize what she would tell Nightwing when she found him in the control room. She stopped when she heard laughing. Maybe she should wait until the next day. She didn't want to intrude.

She took a shaky breath and continued. She couldn't hold this anymore. When she entered the control room she saw Zatanna leaning on the panel and Nightwing's back towards her.

"M'gann, you are back!" Zatanna said with a cheerful smile as M'gann tried to offer one of her own, but failed miserably.

"I leave this in your capable hands" Nightwing said to Zatanna who gave him a mocking military salute.

Without need to be told M'gann followed him into another hallway and towards one of the lounges usually used by the leaguers after a long day. There was a small table with two chairs sitting across from each other which they were fast to occupy. He stared directly at her as she kept her eyes on the small white table. From one moment to the next she would bite her lower lip wondering how she should start.

"Well?" he asked after a moment of silence.

"This is not easy," she said intertwining her fingers on her lap, "I don't know where to start"

"You make me wish I wasn't so curious" he said with a smirk, "I am not going to like this, am I?"

"You remember what I told you about White Martians?" she thought it was the best way to start. He nodded, of course he would remember, "I didn't go into detail back then why the White Martians were considered less than the Green Martians. Thousands of years ago our people were explorers and conquerors. The Green Martians were the minds, and the White Martians were the muscle. We spent so long time fighting that it became part of our nature, whether we want it or not"

"Even now," he said with a frown.

"Yes, even now" she said not able to look at him directly in the eye, "even though the wars are long over as we mature those instincts become stronger. Overtime most of us are able to control them, but every once in a while there is an outside source, which we can't control that awakens those instincts"

"And Conner is that outside source" he saw the fright in her eyes, "why?"

"I wish you could feel it" she said with a pained smile and shaking hands, just remembering made those instincts try to unravel inside her stomach like a thunderstorm, "his power is so great and raw. When I first sensed it here in the whole tower I thought we were being attacked. I was ready… I was ready to eliminate the threat at all cost" she said the last part with a frown, as if not understanding herself.

"You were willing to kill-?"

"But I didn't know it was him!" she said fast. She didn't want him for a moment to think that she would willingly hurt her friends, "when I realized it was him I was frightened. Is easy to hurt your enemies, but your friends…"

"So that back in the farm was you controlling yourself" he said more to himself than her. He didn't want to believe it was that bad but by looking at her troubled expression he knew it was. Part of him wished this was more of an ex-lovers quarrel but as usual with their line of work it was not "if he controls his powers…" he thought this had to be the source of the whole issue, "… if he controls his powers then you will be able to…"

"Not snap and tear his throat out?" she looked away from him.

"…be able to work together again" he completed before reaching for her hand and holding it on his, "we are part of a team, a great team and I want us all to remain like this as long as possible"

"I don't know if I can," and by then the tears were running down her face. She was not just afraid of what she would do to him, but she was also afraid of what she might make Conner do. If she pushed him, she knew that raw power wouldn't be just for show.

"Just like we believe Conner will be able to control his powers, we also believe that you are not just instincts" he held her hand tighter hoping she would also believe in herself, "after all, you are the greatest telepath from Mars and that has ever touched Earth ground" and the small smile on her lips told him she would believe him.

Back in Kansas, Superboy was dozing off after a long day of training. He was exhausted, which was a feeling he was starting to get used to. He held, or tried to keep holding 'The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway' but there was a point where he just left it lie on his chest as he tried to decide if he should go to bed or just sleep on that couch.

All thought of sleep was gone when he felt something not too far from him. He hadn't realized his power had set off on its own, not far but enough to tell him that about half a mile away there were two vehicles parking by the fields. He wondered if they needed help. Then this strange power of his told him this was not the reason, they were after something else. He tried to keep his thoughts calm. Somehow in this half asleep state he was able to control his powers a little better.

They were five boys and two girls which for some reason were crossing through the fields and not the main path towards the house. They ranged from the ages of fifteen to seventeen and were rather excited about what they were planning to do. Finally they made it to the edge of the fields and stopped there staring at the house. He felt their feelings ranging from excitement, fear, regret and so on. He wondered what they were up to and soon enough his power told him. He sensed two full baskets with eggs. He allowed his superior hearing to take range to have a better idea of what they wanted to do, though it wasn't that hard to guess.

"So, who goes first?"

"But the lights are on. What if he is awake?"

"What if he is? He can't take us all"

"Let's just see if he is awake?"

"You only came to check him out, didn't you?"

"What if I am? I heard he is cute"

"Let's just pick at the window, if he sees us so what"

He relaxed his features and closed his eyes completely. He was curious if they would continue even after they saw him. He felt two pairs of eyes pick into the living room.

"My mom says he looks a lot like his uncle. Never met the guy but I heard he is also a looker"

"The snub that became a reporter at that third rate sellout newspaper?"

"Not anymore. He left the Daily Planet and now is part of an independent news blog"

"Whatever"

Oh yes, the great change. He thought remembering how upset Clark had been when the Daily Planet had been bought and they started editing his stories leaving out the ugly things of the real world. He was proud of his mentor for not allowing them to censor his stories, though the pay wasn't as good as it used to. The two who went to check on him went back to the rest to inform they saw him sleeping. Maybe he had made a mistake by faking to be out of it because he knew that he had to do something now if he was to do something at all about the trite vandals.

"Here goes nothing," one said before throwing the first egg.

At that moment if felt very natural and he fought for the feeling to remain. He wrapped his mind around the egg and kept it from breaking when it hit the front door. It fell down to the porch where it rolled to a stop.

"What a-"

"You throw like a girl"

And then another egg was thrown, but this time towards the roof. Once again he wrapped his ability around the egg and directed it back to the head of who threw it.

"What the hell is wrong with these eggs" the kid sneered trying to clean the egg from his head.

"Who is there?" it was enough of games, two eggs were a coincidence but more than that would be suspicious. He stood at the door where he bent to pick up the egg, "are you freaking serious!" he gave his scariest shout which actually worked pretty well by the way he sensed a few of them freeze, "if you don't leave I will call the cops!"

He believed that would be enough to scare them off.

"Go ahead and call them! They will take a long time getting here and by then we will be done and gone!" one of them shouted before a few got their guts back.

"Do whatever you like but don't forget I warned you!" he called out before going back inside the house.

Should he really call the police? He didn't want to bring attention to himself, but he also didn't want to have to deal with them again. Maybe if he left them get away this one time they wouldn't come back. Then he heard the first egg smash against the house and sighed. He would do nothing for now, it was late and he was still tired from the day. He went to pick his book and then went to bed. As the minutes passed he continued to hear the eggs smash against the house before one hit a window and actually broke it. He heard a few shout in panic before they scurried away followed by the others who laughed at how cowardly he was.

That was the last drop.

"Nightwing?" it was way past midnight but he was pretty sure his friend was still up and about.

"Is everything okay?" why else would he call him at that ungodly hour, he was actually getting ready to sleep.

"I need you help with a problem"

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Notes:

1\. I don't bash characters, even if I don't like them I will try to keep them in character as much as I can. True, I don't like Miss Martian but only because they didn't show all of her potential in the TV show. When she goes all White Martian psycho like in the comics but then… well I wouldn't want to spoil it but that is what I hope to bring to the table at one point (unless I have a change of heart).

2\. I know almost nothing about farms or about living in a small town (I am from Mexico City), so whatever reference I make about small towns or people who live there should not be taken seriously. I admit I am very ignorant of that style of life, and worry a lot about writing something that might be considered offensive.

3\. I am not making Superboy a wimp. Is very easy to beat your enemies with super strength when you know they can take it, but a bunch of wayward teens is something else.

I thank everyone who is following this story and those who just started and an additional thanks to those who leave a review. It is only because of you that I decided to continue with this story.


	4. Ingredients for Revenge (RR)

**AN: Sorry for the long wait. I haven't felt the inspiration to write recently because (good news) I got a new position at work. I had to switch my schedule completely and have been having a hard time concentrating. Also, because it was starting to feel like a burden, and when something you love starts feeling like a burden it's better to step back for a short while before it feels even worse. In short, I didn't want the story to suffer because of this. I prefer to deliver something good than deliver anything else (the reason why I am good at my job). Anyways, thank you so much for your patience and constant support for this story. It fills the heart this young twenty-something banker with something else when you can deliver something good with words instead of numbers (so many numbers).**

_**Warning! This chapter has changed drastically from its original version, meaning Chapter 5 will not have the continuation until revised and rewritten, hopefully shortly. Keep an eye out for the (RR)**_

AN UPDATE: Chapter revised and rewritten (RR)

_**Ingredients for Revenge**_

Seven years were plenty of time to understand what revenge was. For a while, he had thought it was a normal part of human nature. This was until he saw what revenge could do to you. It could take so many forms but he had seen it at its worst. He had seen people driven by it, leaving trails of blood and death in their warpath. Then they were only left with an unbalanced fraction of who they used to be. Whatever pain they had felt was still there but now deeply rooted into who they were. After that, he no longer believed it was part of human nature, half of him. Maybe it was denial, but he chose to believe humanity was better than this.

After a few hours of sleep, he was preparing something to eat. He needed to be rested before the mission started. Nightwing said he would be sending a team to help him as soon as possible. The Hollow Men, as Simon Valentine called them, wouldn't come out until nightfall, but that didn't mean they couldn't get some work done.

Though he knew what revenge did, though what was happening in town was because of a curse driven by it, it didn't keep him from wanting it. Still, it evaded him how he would achieve it without getting anyone really hurt. Would it really be revenge in that case? He turned his head and saw the broken window in the living room. Teenagers were cruel, he thought back on his own years in High School. They were some of the most confusing years of his short life. It was always one test after another by people who called themselves your friends. M'gann had to keep him from hurting a few and kept reminding him it was normal. It was a sort of a passing trial. He didn't care they were trying to find out who they were through social acceptance. This was just a dickish thing to do.

After eating, he cleaned the broken glass inside the house and then went outside. It looked even worse than when he got home. The crushed eggs dried up with the heat of the sun, becoming stains on the home that once held one of the greatest heroes of the world. Revenge was starting to sound like a good idea as he got the hose and something to scrub.

888

Superman watched with a frown as Conner cleaned the eggs from the house through the Watchtower's surveillance cameras. He had been surprised when he went to check on him that morning after reading what happened in the brief report. Then he saw that mess. He had kept one camera looking after the house and after checking the last night's recordings he saw the culprits; James Talbot, Nelson Braverman who just as their fathers led the band of troublemakers. Though he found it curious it was a Talbot rather than Braverman who was in charge. He also saw the Davis' girls; Linda and Agustina whose mothers were seniors at the time he was a freshman, and Chris Miller who like his father just followed what everyone else said. It was like looking at a mirror of the past.

A part of him wanted to tell Conner that his life in Smallville was anything but normal. He did hear him the day before, but just like then he didn't know what to tell him. Besides that, he didn't think it would help. Conner was probably more stubborn than him and would claim it was useless to talk about it.

He thought of the times when he and Pete investigated those woods that summer so many years ago. There were good times admittedly. It was a thrill to rummage through the woods at night looking for a mystery, but there was more that summer. There was bullying from Kenneth Braverman and his friends when they caught on to what they were doing. They took advantage that he never fought back. Pete tried fighting for him, but it only made things worse. At the end of that summer, their egos were more bruised than Pete's face.

The last thing he wanted for Conner, especially if he was going to be facing whatever was behind the Hollow Men, was to be dealing with those kids. His teen years were filled with confusion from more than just the natural changes he was going through. There were those of an alien race he belonged to but didn't understand. If it hadn't been for Pete and Lana, he was sure he would not be in the place where he could call himself a protector of Earth.

He cringed when he saw Conner rip some of the roof tiles when he used his powers to increase the pressure on the water hose. He saw him throw his arms into the air, and though the image wasn't close enough he was sure he was shouting. He seemed to calm down after a minute or two before finishing the cleanup. Conner could be patient, but like any other person he had his limits. Besides, he needed to be able to concentrate on using his new powers.

Maybe he should go back to Smallville and talk to the parents of those kids. If he did, maybe they wouldn't get too much in the way of the real threat.

"You are not going back," Batman said a few steps behind him.

"He needs my help," he said.

"You are smothering him. He will deal with this his own way, just as he has done before" Batman said with a sigh and looking at him with annoyance. "Nightwing is deploying members of the Team to back him up. Nothing he hasn't done before."

"He didn't have these abilities before," Superman said watching Conner start the truck to drive into town; probably to get supplies.

"He is not you Clark," Bruce said with a stern voice, "you had no idea where you came from but still grew in a sheltered place. Even before he stepped into the world he has known what he is and in no time became a shield to the rest of the Team."

"Shows what you know, Smallville is not your everyday town," he knew he was being stubborn, but it was more out of irritation. He didn't need to be reminded he would never fully understand Conner.

"His life has always involved situations like this. He knows how to work under pressure," Batman said working on one of the screens before showing him the members of the Team that would be joining Conner in Smallville, "the Team will be deploying shortly."

"He is still learning to use his powers," maybe they should keep him out of the mission altogether, he thought back of an incident when he tried to join the football team when he was just a teen. That other boy had been too hurt to ever try to play again.

"They are not ordinary kids, they can handle themselves," Batman said closing the file.

"I guess," he knew they had gained a lot of experience and each one of them brought something of use to the mission.

"You worry too much," Batman said with a smirk. He knew he had won.

"Said the Bat mother hen," and before the Dark Knight could retort, Superman was gone.

"Touché," Batman couldn't help a brief laugh. In his defense, it wasn't his fault that he understood kids so well and for some reason they always took a liking to him.

888

In town, Conner watched as they cut the glass for the window. The shop owner told him he didn't have to wait in while he finished, but he decided to stay sitting on a bench on the side. The buzz filled the air as the owner cut the glass with a machine to the specific size he asked for, with thirty years behind it of experience. It sounded almost like static, he thought as he started to close his eyes captured by the familiar trance. Static was just noise lost in space and without meaning. It was all that he had once believed his existence to be. He had needed this. He was able to think more clearly about what they would be doing next. Besides putting on the new tiles and window, he knew he also would need to stack on food.

The curfew the sheriff had announced would help, but there would always be kids who loved going against the rules.

"You okay son?" the shop owner asked him as he wrapped the glass with brown paper and string. He was extra careful not wanting to hear later Conner cut himself.

"I am fine," he said getting up from the bench to pay.

"You sure? You seem a bit down. Don't let those kids get to you. They always do something like this when they are bored," the man said handing him the glass.

So, the whole town already knew. Mrs. Lang wasn't kidding when she said the news traveled fast in small towns.

"Don't worry about the glass. Clark would never get upset for something like that," the man said when he didn't get a response.

"I said I was fine," Conner snapped at him and then realizing what he had done. He added "sorry."

"Don't sweat it," the man said with an understanding smile. He thought back of when Clark was younger and couldn't recall ever seeing him upset. The sight left an impression, least to say.

"I am okay, I am just still getting used to the place," he said lamely. Of course, he was bothered by what those kids had done, but it wasn't for someone like him.

"The Kent farm is far, so just drop by more often. When summer is close to ending things get livelier," the man said.

"Thanks," he said before leaving.

The owner of the shop went back to his small work table when Conner was gone and noticed a few of the smaller mirrors he had been working on were cracked. He sighed putting the pieces away for scraps but all the while wondering when that happened. He was sure they were in one piece when Conner entered the shop.

After buying the roof tiles and putting them on the truck, he headed to the grocery store. Mrs. Rose, the old lady that owned the place and who loved to give him a hard time only offered him a gentle smile when he came in. She too knew about what happened to the Kent house. With a dejected sigh, he started getting the food. Everyone who he made eye contact with since he arrived seemed to know. It was starting to get on his nerves.

"Connor, such a surprise to see you here," James Talbot said walking up to him followed closely by Nelson Braverman.

"It's Conner," he said before he kept on walking. The universe just hated him.

"What a stupid name," he heard Nelson say not too subtly as they followed him.

"I heard you and Valentine weren't with the rest. What happened?" James asked with a careless smirk.

"I don't remember, and neither does he," he said knowing he didn't really care.

"Yeah, he kept saying that," Nelson said with poison dripping from his words "that little prick was probably the one that called the sheriff. He brags about how he customized his phone and shit."

"Where is Simon?" he said turning around and glaring at him.

"Who knows? Who cares?" James said with a shrug.

He clenched his jaw and walked away from them again. He had to remain in control. He would find Simon, they would deal with the Hollow Men, and then he would-

"Have you seen the eggs?" James asked his friend.

"No man, but I am sure Connor has," Nelson said.

"Do you know where they are? You know, those the _chickens_ lay," James asked behind him.

Some of the cans to his right started the shake. He quickly threw them into the shopping basket.

"If you aren't going to buy anything kids, leave," the kids jumped and they turned to see the owner of the store glaring at them.

"But we are," James said. "I am just going to buy some eggs, ran out of them last night."

"Kids, I want you out, or I am calling your parents," the woman said before they lost their smirks.

"Fine," James said before leaving but not without throwing a glare at him.

"Thank you," he said to the woman as they walked to the register. He wasn't sure he would have been able to remain in control for long.

"They should be thanking me. You looked this close to punching them in the kisser," the woman laughed not knowing how close she was to the truth, then they heard something crash, "oh what in the world. Ruth, go find out what happened."

"Yes, grandma," Mrs. Rose's eldest granddaughter said before rushing to the source of the noise and then coming back, "some of the soda cases exploded."

"Jean, go help Ruth," the elderly woman said to her other granddaughter.

"Yes," Jean responded joining her sister on the cleanup.

"Must be the heat," the woman said before noticing his downcast look, "don't worry about those brats. Since it was their party last night the sheriff is keeping a close eye on them."

He thanked her again and then left the store only to find James and Nelson waiting for him outside. He stepped between them and walked directly to the truck.

"What? Now you are too good to talk to us?" Nelson sneered after he ignored them calling his name.

"You think we are scared of that old hag?" James said with a cruel smile "her windows are nothing special, you know?"

He turned around and glared at the two of them. They were frightened for a moment before they gathered their guts and glared back.

"What? You got a problem with that?" Nelson said poking him in the chest.

"Stop or I won't be responsible for what happens next," he told them in an even voice.

"Right," James laughed though a tad nervous before he and Nelson left.

After he loaded everything into the truck he sat in the driver's seat. His hands were shaking and failing miserably to enter the key into the ignition. This couldn't be bothering him so much, he thought, it was stupid to let what those kids said bother him, but it was. He took deep breaths like Black Canary taught him for when it seemed his temper would get the best of him. He watched the side mirror as the people around went on about their day, and he felt envy. He also felt terrible for what happened in the store and decided he would find a way to make it up to Mrs. Rose.

His hands were still trembling, but not as bad as before. He made another attempt for the ignition before he heard something hit his side window. He swore that if it was an egg he was not holding back anymore. Instead, he met Bart's smiling face smudged against the glass.

"Hey Conner!" the kid said with a cheerful tone before he flew back "ahh!"

"I told you it was a terrible idea," Jaime said helping a shocked and smiling Bart get back on his feet.

"Man, that was crash," Bart said looking at him curiously, "I knew something was different about you."

"What are you doing here?" he asked them checking his communicator was on. He also checked no one had noticed what happened.

"Tim sent us, we arrived at the meeting point but we didn't find you," Jaime explained.

"Tim?" he was about to ask who else had come and why he wasn't informed but then saw a few people were starting to take notice of them. "Get in the back of the truck," he said getting back in. He waited until the two of them got on before starting the truck. As he drove back to the farm he realized he had a slight smile. He was listening to Bart laugh and point at small things on the way as Jaime tried to keep him from falling from the truck. He turned on the radio and rolled down the window. He didn't miss their surprised expressions before he turned the volume up.

"Whoooo!" Bart shouted as he leaned into the truck's cabin, "this is so crash!" The kid could outrun the truck easily but seemed to be sincerely enjoying the small trip.

He saw Jaime mouth the words of the song but never raised his voice. Still, he laughed when Bart made a silly comment about things he had never seen before.

All the anger and anxiety he had been feeling before faded away like a bad dream as he kept listening to them, and tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song. All too soon he pulled into the farm and saw Sphere and Tim waiting at the front. Sphere rushed to him right away and he petted her.

"I still can't believe the League has a farm," Jaime said as he jumped off the back of the truck.

"Oh no no no my friend, this is just not any farm," Bart started to say before he sent him flying again, "okay, now that was on purpose."

"It belongs to a friend of the League," Conner said ignoring Bart's glare, "someone who would prefer to remain anonymous."

"Got it," Jaime said with a nod and without question while Bart seemed ready to burst with the need to tell someone what he knew.

He was glad at least one of them was willing to cooperate. There were some secrets only he and Superman shared. That secret was close to the top of the list.

"Where is Zatanna?" he asked Tim when he realized he couldn't sense anyone else.

"An emergency came up," Tim said opening a small wooden box. Inside, he saw charms, "but she sent these with us. It will protect us from Tannarak's curse."

"Tannarak?" he asked looking at the necklaces shaped like red tears

"It's a long story," Tim said before they went inside the house.

888

It happened so long ago no one could tell anymore the real reason why Tannarak is still trying; only that he has the power and patience to try again and again. It just takes one time of someone failing for him to win. The most ancient record of his appearance goes back to the time when Atlantis rested above the waters. One day in the horizon the sentries spotted what they believed was an endless army marching towards their gates. King Atlan knew this was no ordinary army so he went to face them on his own.

The closer he got to the army the more he worried he was right. All the soldiers looked exactly the same and had the scent of sea and sand on them. There was no light in their eyes and they had no voices. They were no better than puppets. In the center of the army, he met with their creator. He was a necromancer of whom he had heard only rumors until then, Tannarak.

The necromancer demanded his kingdom which at the time expanded to every corner of the world, or he would slay every single child and woman to make more of his mindless puppets. The King of Atlantis didn't give in, not because he didn't care for his people, but quite the opposite. He saw an inhuman darkness in Tannarak's eyes. He knew he would still kill every one of his subjects to make more of his abominations, probably until not a living being remained.

The wise king declined and left to defend his city, all the while listening to Tannarak's mocking laughter. When the king returned, his armies were prepared to give their lives to protect their city but King Atlan told them to go home and enjoy the rest of the day in the company of their families and friends. The King waited outside the gates, trident in hand and the wind of the sea pecking at his skin from the north. When Tannarak didn't see a single soldier guarding the gates he headed to the front of his army to ask Atlan if he had decided to give in. The king said he hadn't before raising his trident and thus the waves rose before crashing down on the immense army, taking it apart and returning their sand bodies to the sea; along with them, Tannarak who cursed King Atlan.

"Your mighty city will fall at your own hands Atlan! Mark my words!" the necromancer shouted as the water dragged him deeper into the sea where King Atlan believed him dead. Years later, when Atlan sank his own city, he recalled those words.

Since then the necromancer resurged through history all over the world; always trying to take over the major powers with armies fueled by trapped souls. Though, as the centuries passed and his humanity became something of a legend, the necromancer started to use servants to do his work; be it taking children from their homes at night, or slaughtering the innocent, they always did it with the promise of something impossible.

888

For Tannarak to raise his army of Hollow Men he needed the earth from a place where the ley lines were strong; a place with strong natural magic uncorrupted and free. Such places had the tendency to attract strange things and Smallville happened to be in one of those places. As they sat for a brief lunch in the kitchen he wondered if this was the reason of Clark's arrival to the small town.

"Not to be a pessimist, but none of us can do much against magic, talismans or not," Jaime said looking worried as he fiddled with his as it hung from his neck.

"We only need to take his army down, and he will flee again. That's the best we can do," Tim said with a frown, he didn't like the plan they were given by Nightwing since Zatanna was not available to help.

"But c'mon, he will appear again at some point. Why risk it? We should capture him," Bart said wolfing down half of the food on the table before Jaime pulled it away from him.

"Again, we know squat about magic," Jaime said taking one of the sandwiches.

"We will see when we get to that point," Tim said as he showed them a map of the town and surroundings on his portable computer, "we are going to scout this section of the woods and make sure everything is clear before nightfall."

"You will probably come across a boy named Simon. He has been investigating this for a while," he said hoping James and Nelson were lying when they insinuated they had done something to Simon.

He stood outside as they changed into their uniforms. He stuck to his civilian clothing in case they ran across the sheriff. For a while, he thought about calling Nightwing to ask him why he had not sent another member with more experience or someone else who had abilities with magic. He finally decided against. It was possible that the rest of the Team and League were already in assignments. Besides, it wasn't the first time the rookies had a mission of their own and they had done well with them. A bit messy but he should be able to keep them from getting into any major problems.

Sphere rolled to him after having a small tour of the farm. She was curious and he could tell she had also been worried about him. He couldn't recall ever being away from her or Wolf for so long.

"Everything will be okay," he told her before she rolled towards Robin who had come out in his uniform.

As the sun started to set he could sense the life around becoming restless, as if they knew of what was coming.

"You okay?" Robin asked him standing next to him.

"I am still getting used to this," he said with a frown.

"But you are okay for the mission?" Robin asked him with a serious expression.

"Yes," he said with a brief nod. Robin had been in command of a few missions up to that point and he was more serious about it than the previous Robins. He knew it was probably because his training was more intense than Dick's and Jason's.

"Then let's start," he said as Kid Flash and Blue Beetle joined them.

Blue and Kid Flash went to patrol over the woods while he and Robin used the Super-Cycle for a brief stop in town and listen for any hint of civilians going into the woods that night. They landed at the top of a building and listened in to the sheriff's radio. He concentrated his hearing around town picking on bits of conversations. There were a few kids who were daring each other, but each one of them went home when the sun started to set. There were some grown men in the pub that wanted to try it out but didn't get past the sheriff who waited for them outside. The sheriff locked them up for the night for their own safety.

"We found some kids," Blue reported, "Kid Flash is scaring them out of the woods and I think he is enjoying it too much."

"You should have seen their faces," they heard Kid Flash laugh.

"Did you really have to pull the kid's pants down?" Blue asked with an exasperated sigh.

"What can I say? I am a comic ghost," Kid Flash said before they heard Blue sigh, but with a slight chuckle slipped in between.

"They are both enjoying it," Robin said with a slight smile.

As the last traces of the sun left they got ready to leave. The town was very different from the previous nights. There were almost no people around when the night before the streets had been flooded.

"What happened to him?" Robin asked with a frown. He spotted Simon, bruised and covered with dirt as he walked with a scowl.

"That would be Simon," he told Robin who nodded.

He was ready to go down and check on him when he saw Pete invite the kid into the Talon. He knew Pete would try to keep him busy and out of trouble.

"It's hard to believe anything strange happens here," Robin said as they boarded the Super-Cycle.

"It's always the quiet ones," he said looking at the town with curiosity. If he hadn't known better he would have thought the place was a ghost town. He wasn't sure if it was Tannarak's doing, but there was a different feeling to the town; eerie and unsettling. As if behind every closed door there was a secret, something terrifying and better kept in the dark.

"Zatanna outdid herself," Robin said before he saw the gem hanging around his neck give off an unearthly glow. They landed on the field where the door would appear any moment. Kid Flash and Blue were already there. Kid Flash couldn't stop looking with wonder at the red gem while Blue looked like he wished to be anywhere else.

"I really don't like magic," Blue said looking at the gem with a frown.

"You or the scarab?" Kid Flash asked with a grin.

"Both," Blue said.

"This way," he said leading them to the place he saw the door appear.

"Blue, you are staying outside to keep civilians back, and help us out," Robin told Blue.

"Thank you," Blue said with a shaky breath.

"When we make it inside, I need you to do a recon as fast as possible," Robin said to Kid Flash

"No problemo," Kid Flash said with a nervous smile. They had no idea of what they would find.

"Are you sure you are up to this?" Robin asked him as they walked out of earshot for a moment. He gave him a brief nod "alright."

"It appeared!" Kid Flash shouted as they hurried back. The earth shook in a jerk like motion and they actually fell. He was about to get up when something took hold of his foot. He turned back and saw a gray claw-like hand holding it.

"Zombies!" Blue shouted blasting the ones that had been holding at him before taking into the air. Kid Flash had already vibrated through his, and Robin had been able to evade them all together. He got up hearing the fake flesh rip as it was no match for his strength. They created a perimeter not far from the door as the Hollow Men dug themselves out of the ground glaring and hissing at them.

"I will hold them back, go!" Blue shouted as he used his sonic cannon to blast them into dirt and clearing a path for them.

They rushed to the trap door only to see more of the Hollow Men start climbing up.

"This better work," Robin said before he threw something into the climbing mob, "cover your eyes!" he shouted before they did just that. Even though his eyes were close he saw behind his eyelids a burning light. He heard the moans of the Hollow Men before he opened his eyes slowly and saw they had turned to dust.

"How many more of those you have?" he asked as Kid Flash left to do the recon and they continued their way down.

"Only a few, they are prototypes," Robin said with a frown. Then they heard a scream. The hairs on the back of his neck tensed and he felt short of breath. It was Blue. There was a brief silence before he sensed Blue going their way.

"Blue!" he barely caught Kid Flash on his way back up, "we got to help him!"

"Something is wrong," he told the struggling kid.

"My head…" they heard Blue's tired voice before they saw him floating towards them, his expression twitching and his eye shifting from yellow to black. Then he saw he didn't have the charm anymore.

"I got a spare-" Robin said pulling one from his belt with the intent of reaching Blue. By then, his eyes had turned completely black and pointed his sonic cannon at Robin before shooting. Kid Flash tackled Robin out of the way and received the full blast. He clearly heard the fracture of bones.

"Blue! Snap out of it!" he shouted intending to tackle him and making him swallow the charm if he had to. But he wasn't as fast as Robin who jumped and held on Blue's back trying to place the charm on him. However, whatever was controlling Blue wouldn't have it and had him fly past them into the unknown dark passages below, "Robin!"

They were surrounded once more by the eerie silence, lost and scared. He hadn't felt like this in a long time, he thought as he approached Kid Flash who was sitting up.

"What do we do?" the kid asked him trying to stand up. He had always been thankful for the speedsters' accelerated healing.

"We go after them," he said lending him a shoulder as they went down the stairs. There were no more Hollow Men on their way down. The descent felt eternal and he wondered just how deep it went. It wouldn't surprise him that it was just far enough so that Clark couldn't see it with his x-ray vision. When they reached the end of the tunnel before them lay an immense cave with the laying of an old town.

There were small wooden houses, croplands, and other buildings around. It all seemed too normal with the exception that it was underground and the immense factory like building towering in the middle of it.

"I checked the whole town with the exception of that place. They have to be there," Kid Flash said after going to look for Blue and Robin. He couldn't detect them with his powers. He guessed the magic was interfering with them. As they snuck in, he saw the inhabitants were only Hollow Men; all wearing the same straw hats and grey-blue overalls. On carriages, they carried big pods which varied in magnitude.

"What are they growing?" he asked Kid Flash who looked slightly sick as they passed some of the fenced fields.

"Let's just say that is not a toy factory," Kid Flash said before he did a double take on the pods and concentrated on some of them. Tongues… lots of eyes… fingers… He took a shaky breath and shook his head to get the feeling outside of his mind.

Then they heard an explosion and they saw Blue holding Robin's arm as he flew them out of the factory through the whole they made.

"Crash!" Kid Flash shouted before the surrounding Hollow Men spotted them. "Sorry," the kid said to him with an apologetic look.

"Make sure they are okay. I will take care of them," he said looking in the direction Robin and Blue had last been. Kid Flash nodded before taking off. He cracked his knuckles. There were quite a few of them, but no more than he could handle. He launched at the first mob before the earth shook again but this time instead of hand and earth in front of him exploded throwing him back against one of the carts and dropping some of the pods on him. He scrambled out of them when he felt them beat no different than hearts.

He looked up at a giant snake-like creature glaring and hissing down at him. It opened its mouth revealing long fangs and an endless darkness. It could easily swallow a grown man whole. Like the Hollow Men, the skin looked like sand and the eyes were completely black, but this thing wouldn't go down as easily.

"Kent…" it hissed launching at him. He jumped to the side before grabbing one of the carts and throwing it at it landing a direct hit on the head. The creature shook its head before hissing at him again. He went to grab another cart before the earth exploded below him and another giant snake emerged, throwing him into the air before it swallowing him whole.

"You made a great mistake!" he shouted ready to punch his way out. Then a sweet smell reached him, draining all strength from him. The darkness wrapped him and pulled him deeper. His mind became numb as he tried to remember what he was supposed to do. Then he was dreaming.

In his dream, he recalled another memory that was buried a long time ago.

He was awake, the first time he really woke up, eyes wide and searching. The G-Gnomes helped him make sense of what he was seeing and feeling. He was young, about eleven weeks old and physically eleven of age. Dr. Spence stood before him with a nervous but friendly smile. She believed in him, they whispered, she believed he was meant for something greater than what Desmond had in mind. He trusted her, and the G-Gnomes told him he did well in doing so. She opened his pot and he stared at her in confusion. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He had always been in this place.

She extended her hand towards him and without the need of instruction he took hers. Her eyes widened as he didn't step out. Instead, he floated out of the pot. He believed he saw fear in her eyes. He didn't want her to fear him so he floated down until his feet touched the earth for the first time. Slowly, and carefully she led him to a chair she had brought close to his pot. She sat him there and then knelt before him, searching his eyes with her own. She smiled when she saw the intelligence in his eyes. He was glad to see a real face for the first time.

"We don't have much time," she said looking for a second towards the door. He could feel her fear. If Desmond caught them she would be kicked out of the project and then she would not be able to protect him. He was not meant to be a weapon and she sincerely believed that. He wondered what he was meant to be.

"I am not what he wants," he said slowly to her. To himself at that time, he sounded so strange and different as he had spent all his existence listening to adults. To his current mind, his voice sounded so soft and small. It was how he sounded as a child.

"I know, I know but that doesn't mean you are _wrong_" she felt fear and elation. He had been listening to them and had the sense to remain quiet, "it means you are special, but we must keep this a secret. I have an idea but it's going to hurt and when you wake up again you are going to be really scared" and she passed her small fingers through his hair as her eyes filled with unshed tears, "I know you can do it but-"

"I will seal myself," he said before she felt a gentle touch under her cheek. His hands were still on his sides but she was sure she could feel a gentle touch. She felt a warm feeling of pride and happiness as the chair moved from under him but he remained seated in the air, "I will until I am strong and wise enough to protect myself" and he placed his small hand on hers before standing.

"You will be incomplete," her lip trembled after saying those words, "but not at a loss. I will find a way" her words filled him with a feeling that even to that point made him gasp. It was the first time he felt hope and dare he believe something more for that woman who didn't see him as a weapon.

As he started to wake up, his mind filled with fog he realized she probably made an agreement with Dubbilex, a very risky one. When time started to run out and the heavier programming was close to a start she took the risk probably knowing there wouldn't be any other way. If they had placed the heavier programming he would have been no better than a puppet. Dubbilex started the fire that led his friends to find him. He thought on the time he went to her for answers. She had been really upset at him for returning after it was so difficult to get him freed, especially since most of his memories and abilities were still sealed.

"He is here!" he heard someone shout before someone took his hand and pulled him out of the pile of dirt and ash. He saw Robin, Kid Flash and Blue all staring at him with worried eyes.

"Are you okay?" Robin asked him as Blue helped him to sit against one of the buildings.

His head hurt as the memories settled in and he started to recall where they were. He saw each one of them wore the charms and looked worse for wear. They were covered in dirt and fretful. He noticed there were no Hollow Men or other creatures nearby.

"Just dizzy," he said after a moment but somehow holding tightly to the dream.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888

OLD CHAPTER VERSION

Becoming Superboy 4

He believed until then that he had grown enough (in his seven years of life) to understand that vengeance was not the way to deal with things. As he prepared himself breakfast he reflected on this belief that didn't really match with the way he felt about the day's plan. He had spoken with Nightwing until late before he agreed to send some help his way for what was to be done that night. He wished he could teach them a lesson on his own, but he didn't believe breaking a few bones would be justified because of some broken eggs. He sat and ate all the while looking at the glassless window in the kitchen. He knew that outside was a mess and would have to clean it before going to town to get a new glass.

Once he got outside, he flinched at the sight of the front. Kids, especially teenagers had no mercy. He should have cleaned before breakfast. The sun had hardened some of the remains and he was pretty sure water would not be enough to remove the mess. The idea of revenge was starting to sound good.

In the Watchtower, Clark watched with a frown as Conner took out a few scrubbing brushes and the long hose from the shed and connected it to the faucet outside before trying to clean the smashed eggs from his childhood home. He had revised the recording from the night before and saw the kids he was sure belonged to the Thompsons (which always led any trouble since his father's time), the Davis girls who looked exactly like their mothers who were seniors at the time he started high school, some of the Miller's red freckled kids, and even some of the Walker kids.

He watched as Conner cleaned the front as best as he could before trying to use his new powers to lift the hose to clean the roof. It was all going well until he tried to make the water pressure increase, now he would also need to get a few roof tiles, but hey; he got rid of the egg remains. Finally he watched him swipe the remains of the broken glass before going inside. He imagined using his new powers still tired him. Maybe he should go see him and maybe call the parents of some of those kids. Conner was patient but knew that he needed peace and quiet to learn how to control his powers.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" said Batman a few steps behind him.

Was he losing his super hearing? He was pretty sure he wasn't there a moment ago.

"I don't know what you mean"

"You were going to smother the kid. He is dealing with things his own way" he said wanting to sigh when he saw that stubborn look on the man of steel "Nightwing is sending some of the younger members to give him some company" hopefully that would appease him, "only until tomorrow since he can't be distracted for long from his training"

"But he still has trouble with his powers" he knew Conner felt as terrified as he had been at one point of hurting someone without meaning to.

"They are not ordinary kids, I am sure they can handle themselves"

"I guess," he said turning back to the screen to see Conner get into the truck and then drive towards town.

"Stop worrying so much," Batman said turning around and starting to walk towards the hall, "you are worse than a parent sending their kid to childcare for the first time"

"Said the Bat mother hen" and before the Dark Knight could reply to that Superman was already gone.

"Touché" well, it wasn't his fault he understood kids so well. He wondered if Richard and Conner had a counter plan for whatever they had planned. He was pretty sure Clark wouldn't agree with their plan if he knew about it.

Back in the town of Smallville, Conner watched as they cut the glass to the size he requested at the window shop. The small buzz of the cutter rang like static and he found himself in a small trance of tranquility. It helped him think of what he would be doing next. He had already bought the roof tiles he would need to change and the material needed to glue the window and tiles. He also needed to buy some extra food or those guys would eat him out the house.

"You okay son?" the shop owner asked him as he wrapped the glass with brown paper and string. He was extra careful not wanting to hear later the kid had cut himself with it.

"I am fine," he said before paying the agreed price.

"You sure? You seem a bit down. Afraid Clark will get upset for a broken window? Because if that is the case then you don't know your cousin that well" now that he thought about it he had never seen Clark angry. He bet it was a scary sight since the boy had grown to be even taller than Jonathan, and that guy had been the best quarterback they had back in the day.

"I am fine," he snapped stressing the words with finality before his eyes widened, "sorry," though the shop owner didn't think much of the stressed words, "I am really okay, just getting used to the place"

The shop owner nodded wondering why the kid was fretting so much. He had heard he was a few years ahead in college. He imagined one couldn't get to do that without fretting every once in a while.

"Don't sweat it. The Kent farm is pretty far so if you need to see people just come around every other night. This place can also get lively"

"Thanks," he said picking the wrapped glass before leaving.

As the shop owner turned he noticed something peculiar. Some of the mirrors he had been working lay broken on his work station. He wondered when that happened.

Conner decided he needed plenty of junk food. He had seen how much those guys could eat. The old clerk smiled at him as she ran his items. He appreciated that there was no chat this time. After almost breaking more glasses at the window shop he knew he needed to calm his nerves a bit.

"Well, if it is Connor" a mocking still developing voice said behind him.

The universe just hated him, didn't it?

"It's Conner," he said not turning around to face the kid he remembering leading the rest to egg the house.

"What a stupid name," he could hear the smirk on the words.

"If you are not going to buy anything kid you better leave," said the old clerk as she stared menacingly at the kid.

"I am," he almost whined before walking behind Conner and towards the fresh product section of the store, "I am just going to buy some eggs, ran out of them last night"

Conner felt his jaw tense as he tried to keep calm.

"You know, the same kind _chickens_ lay" and that was the last straw.

"What in the world are you talking about Nel-" the old lady was starting to say when at the back of the store the bottled soda started to explode, "what in the name of-" but the old woman had already rushed towards the shouts of surprised customers.

Conner picked the bag of the groceries he had already paid before turning to the surprised kid who watched as a river of soda ran towards them. He realized Conner was now staring at him. He did his best to remain calm as the older boy stared down at him. Okay, he did not look this big last night, or as threatening.

"What-what do you want?" he spat more than asked.

"Stay away or I will not be responsible for what happens next" he said as some of the jarred and canned goods started to crack, and then he turned and left before the kid could say anything that would really make him lose it.

After he had loaded everything to the truck he sat on the driver's seat. His hands were shaking slightly. He didn't think the matter was bothering him so much but it seemed he was wrong. He took deep breaths just like Black Canary had taught him to control his temper. He watched from the side mirror as a few people rushed towards the store before resting his head on the steering wheel. He felt terrible the produce had been ruined, but at least it wasn't the people he ruined. He hoped he would find a way to make it up to the old lady before leaving Smallville.

Just as he was turning on the engine he heard something hit the side window. He had expected eggs but instead he met Kid-Flash's smiling smudged face against the glass.

"Ahh!" and then said kid was flying a few feet back.

"Told you it was a terrible idea," Jaime said helping the shocked but smiling kid stand.

"What are you guys doing here?" Conner got out of the truck and looked around to make sure no one had seen them. Thankfully everyone was still distracted with the mess at the store.

"We decided to get here early to help around," Bart said with a grin, not the least bothered he had been thrown back a few seconds ago.

"You decided to come early, I am here trying to keep you out of trouble" Jaime said crossing his arms.

"I knew I could count with you _hermano, _so what's next?" he said the last to Conner who was giving them a skeptic look. He trusted them in missions and as friends but he wasn't sure they could cope with the normality of Smallville.

"Get on the back of the truck" he said getting to the driver's seat again as he pointed to the box of the truck. He felt more than heard the truck move as they climbed on the back before he started driving back towards the farm. He realized he was smiling halfway of the trip as he heard Bart laugh and point at small things on the way as Jaime tried to keep him from falling from the truck. He turned on the radio after rolling down the windows.

"Woooh!" shouted Bart as he leaned on the cabin of the truck, "This is so crash!"

He forgot all about his anger and frustration as he heard them laugh and shout. Too soon they were pulling into the farm.

"I can't believe the League has a farm," Jaime said making a whole turn to look at the place.

"Oh no no no my friend, this is just not any other farm," Bart started to say before he was flying again, "okay, now you are doing that on purpose"

"It belongs to a friend of the League," Conner said ignoring Bart's glare, "someone who would prefer to remain anonymous"

"Got it," Jaime said with a nod and without question while Bart seemed ready to burst with need to tell someone what he knew.

He was glad at least one of them was willing to cooperate. Like many mentors and apprentices he and Superman shared secrets. That secret was close to the top of the list. He was fast to assign them task to drive their minds away from the matter. He had Jaime bring the groceries inside (he knew better than to trust Bart with that), the speedster was put at charge of getting new tiles set while he worked on the window. He finished just in time to keep Bart from what would be their dinner. He gave him the junk food he had prepared for this reason and watched as the kid happily left for the living room with his jumbo size bag of Chicken Whizees.

"You know that will only keep him away for five minutes, right?" Jaime said as he leaned on the counter looking at the rest of the food.

It was a while after that they saw Tim Drake, better known to the hero community as Robin enter the house to find every cabinet, door, and drawer in sight open. Then boy wonder then saw Bart trying to get through Conner and Jaime towards the kitchen.

"I don't like your new powers!" shouted Kid Flash as he kept running against an invisible force.

Tim froze at the door looking bewildered as this kept going for a few seconds before Superboy could no longer hold Bart back. Soon enough every cabinet in the kitchen was open, yet there was no food.

"That was not fair!" Bart said checking the house again looking for the food.

"Oh right!" Tim said before pulling out of his pocket a small container, "Nightwing said to bring you this"

"Aww," whined Bart going to take the calorie pills that prevented him from starving because of his fast metabolism. They did the job but didn't have any flavor. They were also a most at the League's New Year party to keep the speedsters from getting away with the whole dinner.

Conner didn't realize he had collapsed on a chair until Tim turned to him with a worried look.

"You okay?" Tim asked with worry showing through his dark glasses. The shades brought Superboy old memories of the previous Robin.

"Yeah, still getting used to… this" he didn't know how to explain it. Before he knew it Jaime had already brought him a glass with water and he thanked him for it.

"Are you sure you are up to this? I am sure we can find another way to deal with them" the plan had sounded ridiculous when Richard told him, fun but still ridiculous and he wasn't sure Conner had yet enough control to make it happen.

"I am sure," though tired as if he had swam across the Atlantic Ocean, he said it with resolution.

"Alright, then let's get started" he said before assigning tasks. Though Conner was his senior in the Team, he allowed Tim to give the orders. After that year it had become a sort of second nature to Tim to take this role.

He had noticed Nightwing had made a great effort to get Tim to take more of a leadership role. Not because he favored him because of the Robin mantle that was once his, but because he could see Tim's dedication to helping others. He was only thirteen years old he had found about Batman and Nightwing's civilian identities and pretty much forced Batman into taking him as the next Robin even after what happened to Jason. He knew the risks and though he only started with a brilliant mind, he did his best to improve in all other departments to become a great Robin.

He had grown up a lot. Actually, he realized, all of them had done a lot of growing up that year.

Bart had become an excellent Kid Flash as he did his best to honor Wally. He was still reckless at times but not to the point where he would endanger his teammates. He still tried too hard sometimes to be that loud and happy kid when they well knew that he had come from a time where happiness was rare. At times he hoped he was indeed as happy as he portrayed to be. Being a hero in their time, having a purpose seemed to be helping in the matter.

Jaime had made a great leap in the confidence department. He had all the tools from the beginning but feared failing too much which gave him a handicap. As he approached other heroes who had powers similar to his for coaching this handicap had started to dissolve. They still heard him discuss with the scarab, but not as often or upsetting as before. There was more decisiveness in his voice when he said 'no' to the rather violent AI.

The rest of the young heroes had changed too; in skill, maturity and of course physically. The three boys before him had all grown a little taller, and broader. He remained the same for exception of his new powers.

"Earth to Conner," Bart waived his hand in front of his face.

"Sorry, what?" he couldn't believe he had spaced out.

"I think is better if you rest" Tim said and before he could protest he added "you will need to be well rested if we want this to work" and he crossed his arms to let him know he wouldn't accept any buts. Yeah, Nightwing had made the right choice.

He didn't protest as he dragged his feet upstairs. Every muscle in his body ached. One would think this type of strain would be more mental, but every time he used them he felt as if his muscles would turn into jelly. At least he wasn't passing out anymore. He collapsed as gently as he could on the bed and not too soon he was in a deep slumber.

He dreamt again and just as last time he knew it was no ordinary dream.

In his dream he recalled another memory that was buried a long time ago by the G-Gnomes.

He was awake, the first time he really woke up. The G-Gnomes helped him make sense of what he was seeing and feeling. He was young, about eleven weeks old and physically eleven of age. Dr. Spencer stood before him with a nervous but friendly smile. She believed in him, the G-Gnomes told him, that he was meant for something greater than what Desmond believed.

She extended her hand towards him and without need of instruction he took it. Her eyes widened as he didn't step but floated out of the pot. He mistook her widened eyes for fear and floated down to touch the earth with his feet for the first time. She led him to a chair not far from his pot. She sat him there and then knelt before him so that he could see her face.

"We don't have much time" she said looking for a second towards the door. He could feel her fear. If Desmond caught them she would be kicked out of the project and then she would not be able to protect him. He was not meant to be a weapon and she sincerely believed that. He wondered what he was meant to be then.

"I am not what he wants" he found himself saying. To himself at that time he sounded so strange and different as he had spent all his existence listening to adults. To his current mind his voice sounded so soft and innocent. He had been a child even though it was for a very short time.

"I know, I know but that doesn't mean you are _wrong_" she felt fear and elation. He had been listening to them and had the sense to remain quiet, "it means you are special, but we must keep this a secret. I have an idea but it's going to hurt and when you wake up again you are going to be really scared" and she passed her small fingers through his hair as her eyes filled with unshed tears, "I know you can do it but-"

"I will seal myself," he said before she felt a gentle touch under her cheek. His hands were still on his sides but she was sure she could feel a gentle touch. He had just proved her theories to be correct, she felt a warm feeling of pride and happiness as the chair moved from under him but he remained seated in the air, "I will until I am strong enough to protect myself" and he placed his small hand on hers before standing.

"You will be incomplete," her lip trembled after saying those words, "but not at loss. I will find a way" her words filled him with a feeling that even to that point made him gasp. It was the first time he felt hope and dare he believe something more for that woman who didn't see him as a weapon.

She eventually did find a way, he thought as he started to wake up. She had an agreement with Dubbilex, a very risky one. She hadn't known at the time if it was safe to trust him but time was running out. The heavier programming of his mind was soon to start and when that happened it would be impossible to get him back. Dubbilex started the fire and led his friends to him. She had been delighted when she found he left with the League. He realized that was also the reason she didn't want him in Cadmus when they went to check on Project Match. She knew he wasn't back to his full self.

When he sat on the bed he saw the sun was already setting. He didn't know if he had really been that tired or it was just the memories trying to push back as he regained his abilities which he now understood were not new. A peaceful feeling passed through him as he felt more familiar with the sensation of feeling everything.


	5. No I in Team (RR)

**AN: I am so done with revising for some months. It really sucks all the fun from writing. Sorry it has taken so long to update, but good news; next chapter is a new new chapter.**

_**No I in Team**_

The Watchtower was very quiet that night. Usually, when the rest of their members stayed Nightwing or Aqualad made them go through some training exercises. She wondered if the rookies had gone home since she couldn't sense them anywhere nearby. As she finished reporting about her mission with Beast Boy, Bumble Bee, and Wonder Girl she finally got around to ask Nightwing. His response was not one she had expected and made it clear she didn't approve.

"What do you mean you sent them on a mission with Conner?" M'gann asked. She knew Bumble Bee and Wonder Girl shared a look behind her back.

"Yeah! And why wasn't I included?" Beast Boy said crossing his arms completely failing to sense the tension in the room.

"It means just what I said," Nightwing said to her before turning to Beast Boy "and you were already on a mission when it came up."

"That better be the reason why " the boy mumbled marching out of the room followed by Bumble Bee and Wonder Girl who waited until they were outside of the mission's room to talk.

"But he still-" she ignored their worried whispers and started to say.

"This is not just for him Miss Martian, but for them too," Kaldur said as he logged the information of their reconnaissance mission into their database.

"You asked for them to take on more responsibilities, this is it," Nightwing said as Kaldur displayed the details of the mission.

"They are ready," Kaldur said in a definitive voice. She nodded knowing she would not be able to change their minds. It was true that she asked for more responsibilities to fall on them but what if Conner wasn't ready?

Or what if she wasn't the one ready? She thought after she left the room.

She went to sit in the garden of the Watchtower. It was a place that always helped her relax; sitting among the greenery and with a beautiful view of Earth. She knew this was the reason why her uncle chose the place for their long postponed conversation. He had sensed her outburst when Conner's abilities first manifested. He gave her time to come to terms with the idea that one of her longest friends would not be the same ever again. She was so proud to be related to him not just for all the good he did for Earth and their world, but also because he was wise. He could see her potential for who she was and not for what she was. Still, when needed of guidance he didn't shy from talking to her honestly.

He faced through the floor before sitting next to her with a kind smile. He communicated with her through their psychic link, something she sometimes missed doing outside of missions.

"_M'gann, sorry for keeping you waiting" __his presence was even more calming than the garden and the view. She knew he was someone she could confide in._

"_It's alright uncle J'onn, we all have been rather busy these past few weeks" __she replied keeping her eyes ahead._

"_Still, it is no excuse," __he said placing a hand on her shoulder._

"_Actually, I wish we didn't have to talk about it"__ she admitted looking down at her lap._

"_Do you doubt yourself?"__ he asked her._

"_How could I not? You sensed how I reacted. He is just too powerful and he doesn't even realize it,"__ that was one of the things that irked her the most._

But that is not what she wanted to say but she knew he would understand. On the whole planet Earth, there was no one but him who could understand her fears as well.

"_Once the same could have been said about you, and I don't fear you"__ he reminded her. Mars never felt the same when she visited as everyone could sense her growth. There were those in her family who also shied away from her._

"_His power is too raw, volatile,"__ she said with a frown. His powers were not exactly like hers. There was something raw and at the same time unnatural about them._

"_Like that of children from our home. In the same way, he will learn to control them"__ he told her trying to remind her that her friend too eventually would learn._

"…" but he didn't feel like her friend anymore. It was as if he was something entirely new. She knew it didn't make sense, but that was how she felt. This was part of what she was, and she hated it.

"_M'gann, no one can run from what they are. But, when we come across those moments when our nature contradicts what we want we must remember that what we are, does not define who we are. The first step towards really understanding this is accepting that which we are by nature. It is a part of what makes us but not as a whole" __her uncle said to her after a long silence._

"_How can I accept what I am when what I am comes from bloodlust and rage?" __she knew well of the stories of her kind; conquerors and warriors without mercy; all to achieve their objectives. They were the perfect war machines._

"_But that is not what the White Martians are alone. You are forgetting about the strength to face that which seems untamable, the curiosity for that which is beyond sight and the valor to find a new purpose when they were deemed worthless by those who don't really understand them"__ her mother, she thought solemnly. Her mother was a little rough around the edges, and though she received a lot of criticism she never faltered on her decisions or actions. She wished she had her strength._

"_I have yet to feel that," _she said once more remembering how she felt when she sensed Conner's power.

"_Then you have spent too much among the Earthlings,"__ he said in a stern voice._

She turned to look at him in shock.

"_You are from Mars, not Earth. You showed valor when you dared to go against other Martians, very green if I recall correctly. You came here looking for a purpose and found it. You showed your strength when you came here with limited knowledge of a vastly more complex kind than ours. Mind you not physically but you have to admit their problems are rarely cut as clean and dry as ours, but that's why we find them so fascinating, is it not?"_

She nodded with a small smile. She remembered how much trouble she had understanding them. She did her best until she talked like them and eventually also thought like them or an imitation of it at least. She was no Earthling, but she loved them for all their faults and wonders nonetheless. She realized then that just as humans she had her faults and gifts and though indeed some were heavier on her heart the ruling of whom she was, was her decision alone to make.

"_Then it's time for me to change again, to start accepting myself,"__ but this change frightened her._

"_If that is what you believe is right; then yes you have to"__ he could sense her doubt._

"_What I have in mind is a lot different. __I am worried I will scare them"__ she didn't want to push her friends away._

"_I am sure a few will be, but they are not beings who like change to start with. Give them time, and if they ask, try to answer as honestly as you can. You will be surprised how many of them will be willing to listen" __he told her and after knowing some of them for quite a few years she knew he was right._

_They both stood up and she started working on her new form. She saw her uncle's eyes widen in shock, but only for a brief moment._

_"I won't hide anymore," she told him as she adapted to her new form. _

"_And once again you show your strength before the unknown," he said offering her a proud smile._

8888

He sat against the old building regaining his bearings. Up was down, his body weighted a ton, and his head wouldn't stop buzzing. The high ceiling of the cavern was so far he could only see darkness. He closed his eyes and willed for all of it to go away, but he could still hear the labored breaths of the rest. They were too weak and exposed.

"How long has it been?" he asked them after a moment.

"It's almost dawn," Robin said with a troubled frown.

"And on that note, we should leave like now or we are getting stuck here," Kid Flash said anxiously.

He took a deep breath and used the wall to get up. Blue reached to help him but he wouldn't have it. He pushed his way through them doing his best to ignore the worry and exhaustion in their faces. Every step was painful but soon enough he was running towards the exit and they were following close behind. He ran through every remaining Hollow Man, never slowing down. It was his fault they were in that state; he wasn't going to hold them back anymore.

The sun was just rising when they finally made it outside. The door disappeared moments later drawing gasps and shudders. That had been too close. His head was still buzzing as he boarded the Super-Cycle who had been waiting nearby. As they took into the air his cells hungrily drank the energy of the sun. In the light of dawn, he saw the night had taken a toll on them more than he had initially thought. They were bruised, exhausted, and covered with dirt and ash. He could hear Robin reporting to the Watchtower but only caught every other word.

"We should ask for backup. There are a ton more of those things inside the factory," Blue said after Robin finished reporting.

"No way _hermano_, we can take them. They were just lucky they snuck on us this time," Kid Flash said trying to show energy that was no longer there.

"This is bigger than we thought," Robin said with a downcast look, probably blaming himself.

"Maybe," Kid Flash said insistently, "but that doesn't mean we can't handle it."

Robin turned to look at him, "Superboy?"

"You are the leader of the mission," besides, he was almost of no help. He started to think that it might be best if he stayed out of this mission from now on. Then, he saw their expressions. Each one of them looked miserable. "Get some sleep first," he told them before he leaned back and closed his eyes. That would probably make them feel better.

When the farm came in sight they knew that would have to wait. The sheriff's car was parking in front of the house.

"Stay out of sight," he told them as they landed in the fields. He shook as much of the dirt and ash as he hurried through the fields but most still clung to him. When he made it to the house the sheriff was knocking on the front door.

"Kent, where in the world were you?" the sheriff asked marching up to him and glaring at his appearance. The man stank of too many cigars and coffee.

"Taking a walk through the fields, I fell. Is something wrong?" he asked keeping a straight face.

"The Valentine boy is missing. His parents' think he snuck out in the middle of the night, have you seen him?" the man gave him a look that said he dared him to lie.

"No," he said before the man took another step towards him.

"This is not a game, and you are not Clark. Tell me what happened," the sheriff demanded with his face only a few inches away from his.

"I don't know anything," he said retaining his straight face. It wasn't like he hadn't run into the authorities in the past while in missions though he usually let the talking to Nightwing or Kaldur.

"Be that way, but if that boy doesn't come back home it will be on you," the sheriff sneered at him stomping back to his car and driving away. Once he was out of sight the rest came out of the fields.

"Get some rest," he told them again as he walked into the house.

"Do you think that boy was taken?" Blue asked as his armor came off.

"Probably but we have no way in until sundown," Kid Flash said removing his mask and shaking the ash and dirt from his hair.

"Crash wherever you want," he told them as he started going upstairs for a bath and few hours of sleep.

"Conner, wait," Tim said catching up to him in the middle of the stairs.

"What?" he asked turning around abruptly which took Tim by surprise.

"It wasn't your fault, none of us-" he started to say before he gave him an unimpressed look, "I… never mind."

He knew the kid wanted to cheer him up, but Tim trying actually made it worse. He didn't need the rookies telling him they could do better next time. His bed groaned when he collapsed on it deciding to forget the shower for the moment. He was just too tired. Still, he couldn't help to listen to the rest downstairs.

"Is he angry?" Jaime asked Tim as he sat on the couch.

"I don't know, I think he is just tired," Tim responded unable to hide he felt troubled.

"Oh man, Aqualad is not giving us another mission after this," Jaime sighed.

"We could still complete it on our own. Now we have a better idea of what we are against," Bart said kicking his boots off.

"I don't know," Tim said.

"C'mon, we have waited for this since forever," Bart said, "I am sure no one has ever felt ready when they start on their own."

"Dude, we aren't ready. We got creamed and at the top of that, a boy is missing. We can't risk his life just because we want to try to do this on our own," Jaime said.

"He is right," Tim said.

"See?" Jaime said though he didn't sound too happy about it.

"Not you, Bart," Tim said.

"Yes!" the speedster shouted with his arms on the air.

"There is always going to be some danger, things we don't expect. We have to get used to it," Tim continued.

"But-" Jaime started to protest but was interrupted by Bart handing him some of their provisions.

"Live in the moment _hermano¸_ you know you want to," Bart said munching on his own.

"What about Superboy?" Jaime asked, "I don't think he wants to-"

"He said I am the leader," Tim said still sounding tired but more confident, "he will have to come if I tell him."

"Dammit," Jaime said before he started to eat.

He wanted to laugh. He didn't have to follow Tim's orders; he could simply pull back from the mission with one call to Nightwing. Still, he didn't do it. He relaxed into the bed. Next time he would make sure they succeeded.

888

He woke up at the sound of the shower running. Downstairs he found Tim at the kitchen table going over the 3D layout of the underground base created by Blue's armor. He sat and watched as Tim worked through a plan to first, find Simon, then stop the production of the Hollow Men, and then capture Tannarak.

"You and Blue will enter the factory and find Simon. Kid Flash and I will stop the production," Tim started to say before showing him where Tannarak kept his prisoners as it was the place Tim ended at while Blue was possessed.

"But the kid knows you, he is going to ask questions," Blue said looking at Conner.

"We will deal with it if it comes to that," Tim told Blue, "your main objective is to get him somewhere safe. Blue, you are taking him out of there while the rest of us try to capture Tannarak."

As they continued Bart joined them and listened to his part in the plan. It seemed while he was trapped the three of them gained a good idea of the layout of the underground town. Kid Flash knew where to hit to stop completely the production of the Hollow men, and when Robin escaped his cell he saw the main room from which Tannarak and Took operated from though he looked uncomfortable when the others asked him how did old Took look like.

"He isn't human anymore," Tim wouldn't tell them anything else and went on to explain the rest of the plan.

As they flew back he could see Tim's previous words and planning had given them the confidence they had needed. Kid Flash was back to joking and Blue was back to his usual worrying self. They landed in the woods not far from where the door would appear in a few hours. They had decided to explore the woods, once again to make sure no more civilians got involved.

"Guys, I found something," Blue reported before they joined him near the clearing. He showed them a cellphone which Blue's armor was fast to unlock. A recording application was open.

"Play the last entry," he told them after a moment of silence. They knew what they would hear wasn't going to be good.

"_**Journal of Simon Valentine, entry 968, a continuation of entries 954 to 967. After a failed attempt to contact Conner Kent for assistance regarding the rise of the Hollow Men I concluded he came to the site of the event. After a quick examination of the surroundings, it is easy to say something abnormal happened here. There are multiple marks through the surroundings and most are of strange nature. Some footprints of no recognizable footwear stop in one spot and start in another as if the owner could leap great distance or more likely fly as their depth don't show any sign of impact one would expect from a long leap." **_

Blue paused the recording for a moment and turned to look at him, "who the heck is this kid?"

"Keep going," Kid Flash said intrigued.

"_**Furthermore, there are signs of scorching but not from a chemical but a natural reaction to a highly energized moving object. My initial hypothesis suggested the use of firearms but after not finding traces of ammo or any other object that could match them I find the hypothesis lacked an element that I hadn't considered until now, in my defense due to being too easy of a scapegoat when something can't be explained through logic. It is likely Metahumans (a term which emerged no much after the Reach left the Earth to describe people with unusual abilities) are involved though recent feeds don't show any of the better known Metas leaving their usual residences. This would explain the footprints, and it would also explain the small none explosive projectile I found. The craftsmanship is like nothing I have seen, clearly custom made. Created to incapacitate, not maim, I can only think of some people who use similar items. Still, we are nowhere Gotham and though it fits with the initial hypothesis of Metahumans involvement the chances of one of them are almost nonexistence though it would be cool if that was the case." **_

Blue paused the recording once again. They didn't say a word but simply absorbed what one teenage boy was able to decipher from his surroundings.

"_**This brings me back in full circle to Conner Kent. What is his involvement in all of this besides the Kent history in relation to Took's? After some inquiring, Mrs. Lang being the best source, I found the Kents have a tendency to get involved in odd mysteries. Refer to entries 106 to 196 in reference to old Smallville mysteries. I have reached the edge of the clearing where the old silo used to be. There are piles of what seems to be ash and dirt all around along with the signs of a fight. I am taking samples for further analy-WHAT A HELL!"**_

They heard the boy drop his phone as the sound of a long mournful moan was recorded. They heard running and screaming and then a minute of silence before the recording ended.

"It's my fault," Blue said with a frown, "if I hadn't gotten possessed I would have been here to help him."

"There is no point of thinking about that now," he told Blue who didn't look any less guilty.

They continued to explore the woods and scare away the curious until the sun started to set. They stood around the place where the door would appear ready for any attack. Then the door finally appeared, but this time, in the eerie silence of the night there was no attack. He opened the door and started going down ahead of them. They didn't find any opposition as they reached the immense cavern withholding the Hollow Town and the gloomy factory that made them. They froze in their tracks when they saw the town in the same state as they initially found it as if the night before hadn't happened. Hollow men roamed the streets with their carts filled with pods from and to the factory. Any sign of the damaged building was gone. The only hint that they hadn't dreamed it was the hole in the factory Blue and Robin had made which was almost completely sealed and the pod fields they ruined but were now being fixed.

The hairs on the back of his head stood up when he saw some of the Hollow Men watching them, but none made a move towards them. It was almost mocking in their colorless and mournful expressions. They could take down the whole town, they would just rebuild and go on as if nothing had happened.

"Everyone ready?" Robin asked snapping all of them out of their stupor. They all nodded before Blue picked him up and flew him over the town. The Hollow Men watched them with their empty eyes and few moans but once again none moved against them.

"They are creeping me out more than usual," Blue said as they entered through the hole and made quick work of the Hollow Men who had been fixing the whole. Though he imagined they could have left them alone and they wouldn't have attacked them. He led him through winding tunnels to a long room with cells hanging from the ceilings. One cage stood out among the others because of its cut bars. Blue flew among the cages and he searched from below but there was no sign of Simon Valentine. When Blue landed the ground shook under them. They knew Kid Flash and Robin was doing good on their end. It wouldn't be long before they headed to Tannarak and Took, and they would need their backup.

"Go join them, I will keep looking for the boy," he told Blue who looked ready to protest. He was the one assigned to take the boy out of there since he was faster due to his wings. "Just do it Blue," he said before running out and not giving him a choice. He wasn't about to admit he didn't think he would be of much help otherwise. Though the magic still buzzed in his senses he did his best to try to locate the boy. He kept meeting Hollow Men through the long halls but didn't bother to destroy them as they didn't bother to interfere with him. That really bothered him.

"Superboy, we need your help!" he heard Kid Flash shout through the communicator stopping him dead in his tracks.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he started to run back, "Robin? Blue?" he called but no one answered. He couldn't believe this was happening, "I am such an idiot!" How could he have left them on their own? Yeah, they stood their ground the night before, but that was against the Hollow Men. Tannarak, he had no idea what else the necromancer was capable of.

"Conner?!" he stopped and turned around to see Simon run from another hall towards him with a relieved expression "I knew you were here! C'mon, we have to get out before the sun comes out again!" the skinny teen tried to pull him but failing miserably. He looked tired and scared. "What are you waiting for?!" he demanded when he wouldn't budge.

"I have to do something first, stay here. I will come back for you," he said before the boy shook his head no.

"If you going to stop Took, I am in," Simon said clenching his fists. Though the kid was scared out of his mind he knew he wanted to help.

"Just don't do something stupid," he said knowing he couldn't waste any more time and continued to run. The kid followed at his pace. They finally reached the immense doors Robin had told him about. Beyond them, there would be a large chamber from which Tannarak and Took orchestrated the Hollow Men. He expected the heard the sound of fighting, but there was only the sound of their breathing. He pushed Simon to stand behind him with one hand as he pushed the doors open with the other.

He saw his three teammates standing in the middle of the chamber, facing three figures, one who was familiar to him, Wally. He knew they weren't real because their skins were dry like sand and their eyes hollow. But, somehow it was if they had their friends captured in a trance. They kept their distances, and he wasn't sure if this was on purpose or because they were resisting. If the charms around their necks came off they would be under Tannarak's control.

"Look," Wally said holding Bart by his shoulders. Bart's muscles tensed before he took a step back. Still he turned around and saw him with scared and slightly dimmed eyes, "he wants to take me away, are you going to let him?"

"My dear son, I have missed you so much. Please, don't let him hurt me," a woman with long dark hair and a sundress said to Robin.

"Please, don't let them kill me again," a young man of Hispanic descent said to Blue "please, don't leave me behind again."

He saw all of them struggle for control.

"Please don't," he heard Robin said through a ragged sob as he clenched his teeth, "she doesn't deserve this."

"She didn't deserve to die either boy. I can help her get another chance, to all of them, but it's all up to you," a dark voice echoed through the chamber before he spotted on the other side among the shadows two figures. He knew who they were right away. Took as Tim had said he was no longer human. He didn't look much different than the Hollow Men for the exception of his eyes which remained human, though soulless. The other cloaked figure was Tannarak and though his figure was human he knew he wasn't. His pupils were blood red and his face and bare head was covered in strange marking which shone even in the darkness.

"_Por favor¸_ I want to see my mother again," the young man before Blue gave a mournful moan and then covered his face.

"You are not real, you are not real. Paco would never ask me to-" Blue said to himself as he refused to look at the young man, "he was my friend."

"I am still your friend even after you abandoned me," the young man said approaching Blue and reaching for the charm around his neck, "you owe me another chance."

"Snap out of it!" he shouted at the top of his lungs before they all froze, "they aren't real! You know they aren't real! So stop whining and fight back!"

He couldn't believe it worked. Though there were tears and regretful looks they all came out of the trance.

"Blue, take care of her," Robin said moving first launching at the copy of Wally while Kid Flash launched at the young man who had been facing Blue. It was almost sad how easily the shadows of those they lost came apart in more piles of dirt and ashes. They were only Hollow Men made to look like those they had lost.

"You are going to pay for that!" Kid Flash shouted before he tackled Took at all speed. The shell of the man slammed against the wall with a moan before Kid Flash started punching him as fast as he could.

"Watch out!" Blue shouted when Tannarak tried to reach Kid Flash with long talon-like hands before forming his energy cannon and blasting at the necromancer.

"You two need to get out of here," Robin told them as Hollow Men started to arrive, "we can't work with civilians getting in the way."

"These civilians just saved you-" Simon started to say.

"Let's go," he said taking the kid's wrist. He knew Robin was giving an order.

"But-" the kid tried to resist.

"We can't do anything else to help," he said seeing Blue evade Tannarak's attacks as he tried to blast the necromancer.

"Take this," Robin said throwing him his retractable bo staff.

He gave him a brief nod before he and Simon started running through the crowds of Hollow Men. Those that tried to stop them were hit with the bo staff. He knew Simon would have a lot of questions he if just ran through them and the kid was clearly too smart for his own good. They reached the lower level of the factory where they saw the bizarre assembly line in shambles. He was glad he had a strong stomach because among the debris he saw parts moving as if trying to reach for them. Though Simon complained, he picked the kid up and started running through the wreckage until he reached the main doors and kicked them open. Once outside he let him down and they started running again.

On their way out they didn't find much opposition from the Hollow Men. They were all heading towards the factory. He knew he would need to return to help them after making sure Simon was at a safe distance. As they reached the stairs that would lead them outside, the earth started to shake and parts of the rock ceiling started to fall. He shielded Simon hoping the kid wouldn't notice a large boulder had hit him on the back, and then he watched from the corner of his eye as the whole factory started to collapse. The Hollow Men near them gave long moans as they started to fall apart. He saw Blue fly out carrying Robin and Kid Flash following close behind. Once the factory was down, the rest of the town too started to fall apart, as if it had stood only because of magic. By the time they reached them, nothing was left standing of the Hollow Town.

"Let's get out of here," Robin said before they started climbing up. When they reached the top, the moon was still shining.

"What happened with Took?" Simon asked after a moment of absorbing what just had happened.

"That was a corpse," Kid Flash said still angry at what the necromancer had made them see, "Tannarak was using him as a medium to control those things."

"Tannarak?" Simon asked confused.

"It's a very long story," Robin said, "but now it's over."

"Until Tannarak resurfaces again," Blue sighed.

"Probably not in our lifetime," Robin said.

"I still wish we could have captured him," Kid Flash said.

"We will take you back to town," Robin told them.

"What about this place?" Simon asked looking at the door on the ground.

"The League's magic users will come to make sure Tannarak can never return," Robin told him.

"Wait, the League knows of what happened?" Simon asked wide eyed.

"Yes, one of our sources told us of the strange events and we were sent to investigate. We never thought it would be something of such scale," Robin said smoothly.

"We aren't exactly magic users," Blue said with a sheepish shrug.

"So, what now?" Simon asked.

"You go home, your family is worried sick about you," he told the boy.

"Oh right, I guess this belongs to you," Blue said handing Simon his phone back.

"Thanks," he said cradling the small thing with relief.

Simon was very quiet as they were flown into town. He had expected the kid to bombard them with questions but for the time being, he seemed lost in his thoughts. They landed at the sheriff's station and away from prying eyes.

"We can't tell anyone what really happened," he told Simon as they got off.

"I already know that, besides, who would believe me?" the kid said offhandedly as if this wasn't the first time he saw something like this.

"For what is worth, thanks for your help back there," Robin said as Super-cycle started to rise.

"Likewise," he said before they took off.

He and Simon walked into the station where the sheriff seemed to be on his ninth cup of coffee of the night. He bolted upright when he saw Simon and Conner walk in dirty and tired.

"I found him lost in the woods," Conner said to the sheriff who seemed baffled by this simple explanation before he burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"Right," the man said after a moment still laughing a little every time he took in their appearances, "so, I take everything was just-"

"An old legend, nothing to worry about," he said as the man collapsed back on his chairs as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted off his shoulders.

"Great," he said for a moment lost in his thoughts before turning to them, "I am going to let this one slide, Kent since you did break the curfew but don't let it happen again."

"Understood," though he knew the man only said it out of obligation.

"And you," the sheriff said looking at Simon, "I am calling your parents to pick you up, and you know what that means."

"I know, I know," Simon said digging into his pocket before taking out a five dollar bill and then walking to a large glass jar he hadn't noticed before. It had the kid's name attached to it. It was half way full with coins and bills.

"How often does this happen?" he asked the sheriff.

"More times than I care to count," the sheriff said looking at the aloof kid who lifted the jar trying to count the contents, "as long as it covers his first bail by the time he turns eighteen, we are good."

He left shortly after filing a report for the sheriff. Simon had to stay to wait for his parents. As he walked he noticed two figures standing before the Mrs. Rose store. Getting a little closer he saw it was James Talbot, Nelson Braverman ready to throw some eggs at the store's window. Before he could shout to try to stop them they threw the eggs, but not with the intention of dirtying the window, but break it. Then the eggs disappeared in midair before they appeared smashed on the kid's heads.

The two kids looked at each other in horror before they ran away screaming right into the sheriff's station.

"That was fun," Bart said standing next to him in his civilian clothing. Then he spotted Jaime driving the truck towards them with Tim.

"Yeah it was," he said with a brief laugh.

888

Away from the magic, away from that cavern, the memory playing in his dreams became sharper. The scents, the sights, every single detail stood out to him. He was no better than a newborn trying to make sense of the depths and the reflections; curiosity and fright invading his whole being. The look of Dr. Spence's face when she saw the intelligence in his eyes, of his understanding, was breathtaking. Then, there was the dread in the pit of his stomach as he went back into the pot and prepared to block part of what he was. His mind sank into a dark gruel pit, stopping parts of his mind and blocking memories and feelings altogether. Triggers were left to keep anyone from dwelling too deep. The feeling expanded into the rest of his body and soon it was as if he was floating in nothingness. Only the slight sensations of curiosity for the world and fright remained.

"Conner!"

His eyes shot open and he was looking at the wall, but he was sure he had been sleeping lying down.

"Conner!" Tim shouted again before the wall was pulled back from him. Then, he realized he was falling, and that wasn't just any wall, it was the ceiling. He crashed on the bed with a groan.

"Was I-" he started to ask looking at the shocked boy.

"You were," Tim said watching him as a smile started to spread on his face, "I guess you are getting more powers."

He sat up and covered his face with his hands, more powers? No, it could all be part of the ones he just got.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked him worried.

"I don't know," he admitted, "I don't understand what is going on."

The kid sat next to him on the bed in silence. He didn't offer kind or encouraging words.

"There is more to your powers, isn't there?" he asked after a few minutes.

"I don't know," he said again, "there might be someone who does."

He didn't know if it was because Tim was just still a kid or because he already had the makings of a great leader, but he told him of the memories he had been seeing in his dreams. For some minutes, he let the boy's mind take it all in and process it.

"She left Cadmus," it was so sudden the League lost track of her completely. He hoped that what he had seen of her meant that she was not helping anyone else with their shady agendas. It had to mean something for her to protect him even though he had only been an experiment to most in Cadmus.

"I know," he said closing his eyes, "but I think she didn't go far."

"I will see what I can dig up," Tim said.

"Thank you," he said releasing a breath he hadn't known he had been holding, "could we keep it-"

"No problem," Tim said. "now let's go, there is someone here to see you and he brings gifts."

Curious, he went downstairs to find Pete Ross opening two boxes of donuts and portable coffee pots on the living room table.

"About time, I don't know how long we were able to hold this one," Pete said as Jaime kept Bart from taking a whole box.

"Food!" Bart shouted under Jaime's headlock.

"I heard the League is sealing that place up and Simon is back home," Pete said, "you kids are good."

"We know, now can I eat?" Bart asked trying a more civil approach.

"Take a pill first," he said before Jaime released him. Bart grumbled as he took out a small container with calorie concentrated pills to damper his metabolism.

"Thanks, Mr. Ross," Jaime said getting a cup of coffee.

Pete watched as the kids got coffee and donuts with curiosity, he realized Conner was watching him, "sorry, it's just I was around the same age as them when I first went exploring those woods and returned with nothing to show for it. We live in some amazing times, God only knows what awaits when they grow up."

Conner looked back at the teenagers fighting over the last buttercream filled donut.

"You already ate three!" Jaime said trying to keep Bart back with one arm as Tim prepared to leap over the two of them to get to it first.

"You have a mom that makes cookies! Let me have it!" Bart shouted.

It wasn't that hard to believe after the night before, he thought as he concentrated on the donut and made it float towards him.

"Nooo!" the three teenagers shouted as he took a bite.

It wasn't long before Pete left with an offering of a free cup of coffee per day until he had to go back to Washington. He watched slightly disappointed as the rookies prepared to leave. It was nice to have some company, however short it was. A part of him wanted to go with them, but he knew he still had a long way to learn how to fully control his abilities.

Once he was alone again, he couldn't stand staying in the house and made a quick trip to town. Mrs. Rose welcomed him with a gentle smile which turned curious as he bought three dozens of eggs.

"You aren't up to something bad, are you?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow as she rang the purchase.

"No," he said shaking his head, "they are for an experiment."

"I thought you came here to relax?" the old lady asked him.

"I am, but I am getting a little bored," he said with a shrug. It was partially true.

"Alright then," she said handing him the paper bag. As he started to leave she said, "I don't know what you did, but those kids aren't going to give you any more trouble."

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean," he said as he kept walking.

Once outside he couldn't keep a serious expression anymore. A smile slipped when he saw James and Nelson showing their friends the place where the ghost attacked them with the eggs. The rest of the kids started laughing. Now, he just hoped Clark didn't find out.

8888

It would be some weeks later that Clark would hear about the ghost that would pull down your pants or shower you with acorns, or the one that attacked you with eggs if you tried to throw it at a store. There was even a ghost rumored to haunt the fields of his childhood home whenever someone tried to get to the house through them. He was started to believe Batman didn't want him 'smothering' Conner for more than just giving him some space. It was no coincidence someone shut off the surveillance he placed on the farm some nights.

As he sat with Conner to listen to his progress he didn't say anything about it but watched curiously as now he could prepare an omelet with his powers.

It was nice to see him act like a kid.

8888

Conner considered thanking James and Nelson for giving him the idea. At first, all he could do was crack the eggs and make a mess. But a few weeks later he was able to move them freely, and even crack them without making a mess. They were small and fragile, and perfect for him to test his control. As time passed he realized the more he used his abilities the less he tired. It was as if it this ability was an atrophied muscle in the path to recovery.

One afternoon as he returned from another trip to the bookstore he sensed the Bioship. He had gotten better at controlling how far he could extend his senses. Usually, at night he concentrated on fields in case any more kids tried to eggs the house. He could sense M'gann right away, and he was glad when he realized Kaldur was there. By the time he parked in front the bioship had already landed. He took a deep breath not wishing to repeat the same episode with M'gann.

Any thoughts of remaining calm were brought to a halt when he spotted her standing next to Kaldur.

"Like the new look?" she asked him with a sharp smile.

"Depends on why?" he asked walking towards them.

"Just embracing my true self a little more," she said before he spotted a small but rather sharp looking fang on the side of her bright red lips.

He imagined that was part of the reason, for now, her skin was as pale as paper, her pupils red, and her limbs longer to the point she matched Kaldur in height. Gone was the short pixie cut, replaced by a tightly tied red ponytail. He admitted he felt fear for a moment, but he realized it was something she would have expected. He knew M'gann and he knew deciding to show more of her natural form was not easy for her.

"I don't imagine you came here just to show off your new look," he said offering her a smile which she quickly returned. Then he turned to Kaldur, "is everything alright?" he didn't imagine it was something so serious so that they couldn't contact him through the communicator.

"We need you to return to the team," Kaldur nodded stepping forwards. Nightwing had already told Kaldur that he wasn't ready but they were shorthanded, "do you think you have enough control by now?"

He was silent for a moment before inviting them inside. He needed to buy some time to think. He brought them some cookies Mrs. Lang had brought him the day before. Neither took them and he wished then that Nightwing hadn't told him of the difficulty the team had been having. It seemed the Lanterns were off planet because of a crisis all the way across from the galaxy, and Zatanna and Dr. Fate were assisting other magical heroes regarding a witch by the name of Enchantress who was trying to gain omnipotent magical power. It also seemed that issues were becoming more prominent in Gotham and it wasn't enough for Batman and Robin to handle them alone.

He wanted to help but he was also worried. He could feel M'gann trying to get a feel for what he was thinking though very lightly, almost like a feather's touch. He gave her a glance and she stopped.

"Well?" Kaldur asked not missing the small interaction.

"I will go back, but under a few conditions" when Kaldur nodded to continue, "I want to work on my own," he said before their leader raised his eyebrows at him.

"What do you mean on your own?" Kaldur said with a tight jaw.

Conner could already tell he didn't like the idea, "what I said. I don't want to be placed on any team. I believe I still have a lot to learn about my powers and I don't want to endanger anyone if I lose control."

He couldn't help noticing M'gann's grateful look. He had to ask her later. He was starting to believe her change was not just about her learning to accept herself.

"You c-" for the first time in a very long time they almost saw their leader lose his temper, but then he took a deep breath "don't expect anything too exciting," Kaldur said giving him a hard look. He knew he didn't want to lose another friend, "and if the mission requires a team I will be the one to go with you."

"Me too," M'gann said though she looked uncomfortable at the idea, "if your powers get out of control I should be able to help you rein it in."

"My other condition," he paused hoping he wouldn't get any complaint, "I want to continue living here. I want to continue practicing in my free time and I don't believe the Watchtower is right for that."

"Actually, I agree," Kaldur said offering him a sympathetic smile, "this place seems very peaceful" it was the first farm in the surface he had ever seen up close "though I will ask you to stay at the Watchtower until we find a safe place to set a Zeta-Beam."

Conner nodded, it seemed reasonable. He had packed all his things and closed down the house. He left a note in the front door in case the Langs stopped by saying he would be away for a short while. As he boarded the Bioship, his bags floating in after him, he wondered if he was really ready to go back in missions. He wasn't sure but knew he would have to learn the hard way.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888

OLD CHAPTER VERSION

Becoming Superboy 5

M'gann sat in the small gardens of the Watchtower. She had been expecting this conversation would come up for a while. Her uncle had probably sensed her outburst from when she felt Conner's abilities within the Watchtower. They both knew eventually something like that would happen. She was proud to be related to him as he saw her potential for who she was and not as much for what she was. Still, for the sake of keeping the harmony those around them they had to talk about this part of her.

Martian Manhunter faded through the floor before sitting next to her. He communicated with her through his thoughts, something she sometimes missed doing.

"_M'gann, sorry for keeping you waiting" _

"_Is okay uncle J'onn, we all have been rather busy these past few weeks"_

"_Still, it is no excuse for delaying our talk"_

"_Actually, I wish we didn't have to talk about it"_

"_Do you doubt yourself?"_

"_How could I not, he is too powerful"_

But that is not what she wanted to say but she knew he would understand. On the whole planet Earth there was no one but him who could understand her fears as well.

"_As are you, and I don't fear you"_

"_His power is too raw, volatile"_

"_Like that of children from our home. In the same way he will learn to control them"_

"…"

"_M'gann, no one can run from what they are. But, when we come across those moments when our nature contradicts what we want we must remember that what we are does not define who we are. The first step towards really understanding this is accepting that which we are by nature. It is a part of what makes us but not as a whole"_

"_How can I accept what I am when what I am comes from bloodlust and rage?"_

"_But that is not what the White Martians are alone. You are forgetting about the strength to face that which seems untamable, the curiosity for that which is beyond sight and the valor to find a new purpose when they were deemed worthless by those who don't really understand them"_

"_I have yet to feel that," _she said once more remembering how she felt when she sensed Conner's power.

"_Then you have spent too much among the Earthlings"_

She turned to look at him in shock.

"_You are from Mars, not Earth. You showed valor when you dared to go against all of those other Martians, very green if I recall correctly. You came here looking for a purpose and found it. You showed your strength when you came here with limited knowledge of a vastly more complex kind than ours. Mind you not physically but you have to admit their problems are rarely cut clean and dry as ours, but that's why we find them so fascinating, is it not?"_

She nodded with a small smile. She remembered how much trouble she had understanding them. She did her best until she talked like them and eventually also thought like them or an imitation of it at least. She was no Earthling, but she loved them for all their faults and wonders nonetheless. She realized then that just as humans she had her faults and gifts and though indeed some were heavier on her heart the ruling of whom she was, was her decision alone to make.

"_I have to change then,"_

"_If that is what you believe is right, then yes you have to"_

"_I am worried I will scare them"_

"_I am sure a few will be, but they are not beings who like change to start with. Give them time, and if they ask try to answer as honestly as you can. You will be surprised how many of them will be willing to listen"_

And change she did. She couldn't help laughed a little at the shock from her own uncle, though it only lasted a moment.

"_I won't hide anymore," _

"_And once again you show your strength before the unknown"_

888

Before he entered the kitchen he already knew what everyone was doing. Jaime was finishing dinner and he could sense a hidden pride. Bart was setting the dishes on the table wondering if he might be able to sneak a bite or two without them noticing. Tim was setting the plates wondering if the changes he made to Nightwing's plan would lead to more trouble. When he finally entered the kitchen the scent of warm home cooking awoke his appetite. He helped with the last dishes before they sat to eat and went over a few details of the plan.

He listened quietly as he allowed his senses to roam around the farm. He couldn't wait for them to arrive. Tim didn't look the part but he could be as devious as Richard. They were all feeling impatient, for even though they were taking higher roles in their world they were still young and wanted to have fun.

Was that cinnamon? He looked down and saw they were already eating something like pudding made with rice and milk. He turned to look at Bart who seemed to be on his third bowl and didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. He sensed a whole pot in the kitchen just for this reason.

He looked at Jaime from the corner of his eye. He looked as if he was listening intently to Tim, but Conner could sense he was getting lost in the comfort he felt at the familiarity of the dessert. He was losing himself in his memories and then Conner saw a child sitting with his grandfather in a backyard as they ate the same dessert. The grandfather would stop every once in a while and point out at the starts and name a few for the child. The child would listen with a big smile. Time passes and the same boy but now older sits with a little girl eating the same dessert. The boy is now pointing at the stars and the girl… his sister is listening.

He blinked back into focus when everyone started to get up. Now they were to wait for them. After cleaning up he went to sit in the living room and picked up the book he had been reading the night before. He opened it but didn't really read it. Instead he continued to sense around the farm. He knew that boy and his friends would come tonight. His words though meant to keep him away had probably done the complete opposite. An hour later or so he sensed the same vehicles approach.

"They are here," he said standing up and dropping the book on the couch.

The rest stopped what they were doing before walking outside. A moment later Bart and Jaime were on their suits already set in camouflage smiling and impatient to get started, "they won't know what hit them" Tim said before they nodded to each other and then rushed into the extensive fields. Conner sat on the steps and closed his eyes before securing his targets. He took a deep breath before spreading his senses into the whole field. Soon enough he had what could be called the best view of the show.

This time they were going to break all the windows in that stupid farm. They were going to trash it. They were going to make sure that stupid city kid wish he had never come to Smallville. It didn't matter they were less this time for the rest had been cowards and thought they were going too far.

Conner took another deep breath keeping his temper under check. They would never allow them to get so far.

They walked through the fields for what felt too long.

"What is the deal man?"

"Don't ask me, James got us lost"

"Me? But I am back here. You guys are stupid"

He stopped and looked at the back of who he had thought was James.

"Charley?"

"What?" Charley answered from the back of the group.

"Who the fu-" but in a blink whoever it was had disappeared, "very funny guys. Stop messing around and lets kee-" but he stopped mid sentence as a wave of dizziness assaulted him as he turned around. He blinked in confusion when he found no one behind him. He did a whole turn trying to see the rest "this is not right" he could no longer tell which direction was which. He decided to go to where he believed the cars were as he called for the rest.

"Is that you Nelson?" he heard one of his friends call not too far "what the hell is going on?" and just as sudden as he had spotted his friends he was gone again, the sense of dizziness returned before he slipped and fell on his behind. He saw a pair of feet stop before him and he started to look up but once again in a blink whoever it was it had disappeared.

This time he didn't call out to anyone as he started to run. He would feel dizzy again and again and then feel as if he had already passed the same spot a few moments ago. He also heard sounds. Steps and shadows started to appear around him. He heard James scream and then he felt a scream of his own try to come out when he spotted ahead of him a pair of lights. They looked like eyes staring at him from the darkness. He tried to run away but something grabbed his feet and he fell. He crawled away before getting up and sprinting in the opposite direction. Then he saw the same lights and suddenly they were not far but only a few steps away from him. A dark figure was walking towards him.

He screamed before dashing to the side as fast as he could with eyes half close. Soon he hit something and fell back. He looked up and saw a scarecrow. He almost started to laugh but then he realized the scarecrow was leaning forwards. He stood and started running. He dared look back and saw the leaning scarecrow do a sharp turn. Its button eyes looked directly at him. In his fear he crashed into something else. His blood was pounding in his ears by then. He felt horror as he turned knowing what would be there. He looked up at another scarecrow. The sewn mouth was becoming undone but he didn't wait to see what would come out.

He kept running, this time his eyes as wide as plates. As he ran he realized he could hear the screams of his friends getting closer and closer and before he knew they all met in the same path running scared.

"Oh God," he didn't know who said it, but he stopped when the rest did. Before them was a dozen or so scarecrows lined up. Their hanging bodies started to lean towards them and they stood back before running with their now aching legs. Suddenly they burst into the open before the Kent house. Sitting there they spotted the city kid who looked at them with raised eyebrows.

"You are not seriously going to egg the house again, are you?" he asked rolling his eyes at them.

He wanted to laugh at their expression. He could feel their shock at seeing him sitting there as if it was any other Saturday night. It took them a moment to react but not long after they were running down the road. He stood in the middle of the road and watched with a smile. A moment later his friends came out of the field trying to hold back their laughter.

"We are goooood!" sang Bart being the first to break the silence.

Conner would remember that evening for many years to come; his friends and he laughing as they spent the night doing very little but just being young. As the years passed and they left childhood they would recall it and still laugh.

Still, it was a small event the following morning that would forever replay on his mind whenever he came across a dark moment. He had been dreaming that same dream where he is taken out of his pot by Dr. Spencer when a shout woke him up.

"CONNER!"

His eyes shot open and he was staring at a wall, though he was sure he was lying down.

"Conner!" shouted Tim before he fell. As he fell he realized he had not been looking at a wall but the ceiling. He crashed on to the bed making it groan to the breaking point.

"Was I-" he started to say.

"Yes, you were" and Tim watched him as a silent smile spread on his face, "I guess there is more to your new powers than just moving things"

The smile was off his face a second later and Tim wondered if he had said something wrong, but then Superboy sat with a frown on his face, "I don't know, but I know someone who might"

Tim listened as Conner told him of the dreams of his repressed memories before remaining silent for a few minutes as the wheels of his mind turned and turned.

"She left Cadmus," it had happened from one moment to the next and the League had lost complete track of her. He hoped with what he had learned just now it meant she wasn't up to anything bad. It had to mean something for her to protect Conner even though he had only been an experiment to most of Cadmus.

"I know," he said somberly, "but I believe she didn't go far"

"I will see what I can dig up"

"Thank you"

It wasn't long after that his friends left. He wished to go with them but he was still far from fully controlling his powers. After they were gone he made a quick trip to town. The old lady at the store gave him a curious glance as he bought at least three dozens of eggs.

"You are not up to something bad? Are you boy?" she asked though he didn't seem to be the kind of kid to do something like that.

"No," he shook his head "they are for an experiment"

"I thought you were here to relax?"

"I am, but I am getting a little bored" which was partially true.

"Alright then," she said bagging them and then handing the bag to him. He thanked her and started to leave when she called out, "I don't know what you did to scare those kids, but they shouldn't bother you anymore"

"I have no idea what you could possibly mean," he said as he kept walking.

Once outside he tried to keep his smile under control but failed miserably. Now he just hoped Clark didn't find out.

8888

It would be some weeks later when Clark was visiting Smallville that he would hear for the first time that some of the kids thought the fields around his home were haunted. Though Batman didn't think he had much of an analytical mind it took him less than a second to connect the dots. For some reason someone had shut off the surveillance he had placed on the farm the night after it was egged. Now he knew why. On his visit to the farm he didn't say anything to Conner. He dealt with things his own way and he respected that.

8888

Conner wondered if he should thank those kids for giving him this idea. At first all he could do was crack the eggs and make a mess, but after a few days he was able to move them around freely. They were small and fragile enough for him to gain an idea of his strength and how to control it. He also found overtime that the more he used his abilities the less he tired. He realized it was indeed like a muscle that had been victim to atrophy but now was in the path to recovery.

An afternoon as he returned from a trip to town he sensed the Bio-ship. He had also gotten better at controlling how far he should extend his senses and had kept it at short range. He started to believe it would be better if he should keep it more extended when he was away. He was glad when he realized Kaldur was also there. As he parked he did his best to keep calm as he didn't want to repeat the previous episode with M'gann.

Any thought of remaining calm stopped when he spotted her standing next to Kaldur.

"Like the new look?" she asked with a side grin.

"Depends, why?" he said walking towards them.

"Just embracing my true self a little more" she said before he spotted a small but rather sharp looking fang on the side of her bright red lips.

He imagined that was part of the reason for now her skin was as pale as paper, her eyes red like freshly spilled blood, and her limbs longer to the point where she matched them in height. Gone was short hair cut to be replaced by a tightly tied pony tail. He admitted he felt fear for a moment, but soon realized it was something she would have expected. He knew M'gann and he knew deciding to show a little of her natural form was not easy.

"I don't imagine you came here just to show off your new look," he said offering her a smile which she quickly returned. Then he turned to Kaldur, "is everything alright?" he didn't imagine it was something so serious so that they couldn't contact him through the communicator.

"We need you to return to the team," Kaldur said stepping forwards. Nightwing had told him Conner wasn't ready but they were shorthanded at the time, "do you think you have enough control by now?"

He was silent for a moment before inviting them inside. He needed to buy some time to think. He brought them some cookies Mrs. Lang had brought him the day before. Neither took them and he wished then that Nightwing hadn't told him of the difficulty the team had been having. It seemed the Lanterns were off the planet because of a crisis all the way across from the galaxy, and Zatanna and Dr. Fate were assisting other magical heroes regarding a witch by the name of Enchantress who was trying to gain omnipotent magical power. It also seemed that issues were becoming more prominent in Gotham and it wasn't enough for Batman and Batgirl to handle them mostly.

He wanted to help but he was also worried. He could feel M'gann trying to get a feel for what he was thinking though very lightly, almost like a feather's touch. He gave her a glance and she stopped.

"Well?" Kaldur asked not missing the small interaction.

"I will go back, but under a few conditions" when Kaldur nodded to continue he dropped the bomb, "I want to work on my own," he said before their leader raised his eyebrows at him.

"What do you mean on your own?" Kaldur said with a tight jaw.

Conner could already tell he didn't like the idea, "what I said. I don't want to be placed in any team. I believe I still have a lot to learn about my powers and I don't want to endanger anyone if I lose control"

He couldn't help noticing M'gann's grateful look. He had to ask her later. He was starting to believe her change was not just about her learning to accept herself.

"You c-" for the first time in a very long time they almost saw their leader lose his cool, but then he took a deep breath "don't expect anything too exciting" Kaldur said giving him a hard look. He would not lose another friend, "and if the mission requires a team I will be the one to go with you"

"Me too," M'gann said not believing what she was saying. She was supposed to try to stay away from that raw power as much as she could, however she saw the logic on it, "if your powers get out of control I should be able to help you rein it in," she believed no one else in the Team or the League would have the strength to do it.

"My other condition," he paused hoping he wouldn't get any complain, "is that I want to continue living here. I want to continue practicing in my free time and I don't believe the Watchtower is right for that"

"Actually I agree," Kaldur said offering him a sympathetic smile, "this place seems very peaceful" it was the first farm in the surface he had ever seen up close "though I will ask you to stay at the Watchtower until we find a safe place to set a Zeta-Beam"

Conner nodded, it seemed like a reasonable reason. Not long after that he had packed all his things and closed down the house. He left a note in the front door in case the Langs stopped by saying he would be away for a short while. As he boarded the Bio-ship, his bags floating in after him, he wondered if he was really ready to go back in missions. He wasn't sure but knew he would have to learn the hard way.


	6. Chapter 6

THIS CHAPTER CROSSES OVER INTO 'The Flight of the Blue Beetle' Chapter 4.

Becoming Superboy 6

Since he had been back he had been little assignments here and there. Surveillance, pickups and every other loose end no one else had time to take care of. After getting the Zeta-beam installed in an old shed near Smallville he made routine to drop at the tower for something to eat before going back home and continue his training. Kaldur kept to his word and kept him on jobs on his own. Nothing big had come up yet but he wished it had. He was getting bored of the assignments he was getting. He knew they were important but it didn't make them any less boring.

Once he arrived to the Watchtower he spotted another arrival.

"Blue?" he asked before the armored hero turned with a tired look.

"Hey" Jaime said weakly before he remembered what he had seen in the news that morning about what happened in El Paso.

"I heard what happened, are you okay?" he had thought Jaime had not been involved but the light in his eyes was almost gone. Even if he couldn't sense his sadness with his new powers, he could see the way he forced himself to stay focused on the present instead of what he had seen the night before.

"That's what I came to find out," he said as they walked towards the lunchroom which was in the way to Black Canary's office.

They spotted Miss Martian with her new look and Beast Boy who was looking at his meal with distrust. He wasn't sure if there was meat on it. They waved at them and he waved back.

"You have an idea of who did it?" he asked prodding for anything his powers could tell him of the situation or his friend's mental state.

They walked down the hall that led to Black Canary's office.

"We do, but since it involves magic it is going to be very difficult to bring any proof in" Nightwing said walking towards them, "ready?"

Jaime simply nodded before stepping into the office. He didn't even bother to say goodbye which worried Superboy even more. Jaime always tried to be as polite as possible.

"But wasn't Black Canary away in a mission?" Conner asked before sensing who the person inside the office was, "oh…" was all he could say before his friend led him away, "Nightwing, what is the meaning of-"

"He is going through a transition, and Batman wants to help him through it" Nightwing said before they sat in one of the launches.

"Someone slaughtered dozens of people in his hometown and someone shot his father, you can't really believe-" it was too much to ask of anyone.

"But I do," Nightwing said "he is a strong kid"

"No one can remain a kid after something like that," Conner said feeling there was something else his friend wasn't telling him, "what are you hiding?"

"Is personal," Nightwing said crossing his arms, "if Blue wants to tell you, he will"

Conner took a deep breath trying to stay calm.

"Interesting," Nightwing said before he realized some of the furniture around him was starting to float.

"Sorry," he said before he lowered them.

"Don't be," Nightwing said with a grateful smile, "actually I would like to ask you a favor in regards of this, but we have to make sure Blue doesn't know"

"I thought you said you belied he could do it," Conner asked leaning back. If he could help his friend he didn't mind, but he didn't like when Nightwing played with his meanings.

"His part. Which believe me is not easy. I actually need you to help me gather information on the streets and a few other things"

"I don't think that's a good idea" he still preferred not to be around crowds as much.

"Believe me; if things escalate you don't have to worry. These guys are not weak" he said placing a folder on the table between them, "they might be the allies Blue needs"

Conner picked up the folder and read through some of the files.

"A gang?" he asked with a frown as he kept reading "We have seen metahuman gangs before," he was starting to think it should be a good idea to call Virgil for help.

"Not an ordinary one as you can see" Nightwing said pointing at one of the pictures in the file, "they all have criminal records, but pretty much when their powers started to manifest they stopped"

"So you think they are up to something else?" Conner read through some of their abilities. Nothing major on their own, but together he was sure they could put up a good fight.

"Something good, I hope. After all, who is to say the League and the Team are the only ones that can bring good people together" Nightwing said with a confident smile.

Conner looked back at the pictures. They all looked like tugs to him, but then again he knew appearances weren't everything.

"Alright, I will pick up some civies back home and then go search for them"

"And remember to not tell anything to Blue. He needs to get his footing on his own on this one"

"Got it," Conner said before standing.

No more than half an hour later he was stepping out of the Zeta-beam in El Paso, Texas. He hurried to the side of town where the metahuman gang lived, also to remain as far as possible from Jaime's scarab. That thing he understood had quite a range. When he finally made it he wondered if Nightwing had made a mistake. The people about didn't seem to like strangers about. He watched as a few tried to follow him, but he kept to the busy places hoping they wouldn't decide to do something stupid.

Finally he was able to lose them when he went into a store and snuck through the back door.

"Well, aren't you an odd one," he turned to look at a woman leaning on wall in front of him. He recognized her right away from Nightwing's file; straight black hair, dark painted lips and dark glasses, "what is a pretty boy like you doing in the back alleys of the slums?" she asked with a tense smile. She could sense his power surely just as the file said.

"I am looking for Damper," he said stepping forwards.

"Never heard of him," she was fast to answer and turn away.

"You are lying, Probe…" he added her nickname before she stopped in her tracks, "I need to talk to him about something important"

"Are you a cop?" she asked turning around.

"You know I am not," he said leaning against the wall mimicking her, "I am not here to start any trouble; I just think there is something that should be brought up to his attention"

"That sounds like trouble to me," she said gaining some of her courage back.

"It might be depending on what your group decides to do"

"We are a gang pretty boy, no need to hide it" she gave him a big smile feeling at advantage again. He had no idea of the real life workings on the more difficult neighborhoods, just statistics and such. He wondered how she knew, "but I don't see why we should risk one of our own when you can probably fry our brains in less than second"

"It's related to what happened in the warehouses last night," and with those words her smile was gone.

"Wait here," she said before hurrying out of the alley.

And he waited for almost an hour before he saw someone enter the alley. It was not Damper, but someone he hadn't seen in the file. He sensed he was a regular human.

"You the guy who is looking for Damper?" he asked standing almost as tall as him.

"And you are?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, he thought their group was made only of metahumans. He was a Latin American with dark eyes and scruffy beard; a few dark locks escaped the bandana on his head.

"Damper's representative," he said with a smartass smile that bothered him right away, "whatever you want to say to him, you can tell me"

"They send a human to deal with their threats?" he asked starting to think these guys would be of no help whatsoever.

"I volunteered," the man's expression changed immediately to one of hostility; Conner guessed he had insulted him.

"Very brave I suppose," he said before the man narrowed his dark eyes even further. Great, now he probably thought he was mocking him.

"You said it was something related to what happened at the warehouses," he went right to the point and Conner was thankful for that.

"My people and I believe we know who sent the attack,"

"We know too," the man said crossing his arms.

"Good, then you won't oppose on working together towards a common goal"

"I don't think so _amigo_, you seem to know a lot about my friends and we know nothing about yours. Why should we trust you?"

"You will only be working with one of my colleagues,"

"And who is it?"

"The Blue Beetle,"

"The Blue- you are with the League!" he took a step back.

Conner shrugged.

"Don't act like is not a big deal! You have to know it is!"

"I imagine this makes it clear how bad the situation is"

"If it was so bad then why are you only leaving us with the _escarabajo?"_

"Because unlike what the rest of the world thinks, we have limitation to our resources" he knew he was giving away too much, but he could sense that this guy was okay even though he dressed like a homie from two decades ago, "also this is an operation that doesn't require just brute strength, but information gathering. We don't have the connections your group has and that could make a great difference into bringing _La Dama_ down"

"Anything to bring that _perra _in" Conner did his best to disguise his surprise when a man materialized from thin air, "we will contact your guy and we will see"

"Damper! What are you doing man?"

"Shush Paco," Damper said stepping forwards. He was a man of black decent but Conner could pick a Spanish accent in his words. His arms and neck were covered in intricate patterns of tattoos ranging from skulls, to birds, and flowers.

"_Hombre, _don't tell him my name. He is with the League,"

"What? You scared the big blue is going to come to pick you up himself?" Damper laughed before his friend muttered a few curses under his breath, "so where do we meet with your guy?"

"That is up to you," Conner said trying to get a feeling for the man's abilities. It was very fuzzy which led him to believe they were more magical based.

"Why do I get the feeling he has no idea you are talking to us, and no I am not psychic"

"He doesn't" Conner confirmed, "actually, I would appreciate it if you don't tell him we contacted you"

"And why is that?"

"Because this is the Blue Beetle's town as much as yours and he is doing this against the wishes of the others, for exception of Batman"

"Great, the one that doesn't have powers" Damper said with a sigh.

"Hey, don't overestimate us!" Paco said crossing his arms.

"What if he doesn't want to work with us?" Damper said with a raised eyebrow, "we are not the usual crowd he hangs about"

"Blue is not-" but he stopped. Something didn't feel right. He looked up.

"Probe," Damper called before the woman from before stepped out of thin air.

Conner made a mental note to add that Nightwing's file.

"On the rooftop," she said before they watched a figure jump from the top a building.

At once he knew it was not human. It was something like werewolf and it was not friendly. He sensed it right away. The desire and need to kill. It took him by surprise for a moment but a fraction of a second later he had stopped the beast in mid fall. It snarled and growled trying to free itself from the force keeping it still.

"Stand back," he said through greeted teeth. He had never tried to keep something so big and struggling up on purpose.

"All yours man," Damper said before Conner released the creature and then punched it straight into a wall. It fell limp to the ground.

"This guy can knock them out with one punch?" Paco asked in awe.

"That's the least of our worries" Probe said before pointing up, _"Coyotes"_

They heard more growls before they spotted several bright eyes watching them from the roofs.

"You better get out of here" he told them hoping Damper's ability would cloak them well enough to get away.

"The Posee doesn't run away," Damper said but Conner wasn't listening anymore. He watched this time as the creatures used their claws to climb down the brick buildings, starting to surround them.

They stopped but for the exception of one which crawled until they were facing each other.

"You are not from around here" the beast spoke in a guttural voice, "you stink wrong, strange… dangerous"

"Then back off," he said reading his firsts. He didn't trust to be able to hold them back with his new powers, but he knew he could always relay on the old ones.

"Not a choice stranger, you are in our territory" it growled before turning to glare at Damper, "and you are becoming a nuisance that we will no longer stand for"

"If you want a fight you will get one _perro de la perra" _Damper said with a smirk before thick pipes appeared on his and friend's hands.

The beast growled before lifting its deadly claw. The rest of the _Coyotes_ jumped off the buildings covering the view of the sky. Conner prepared before he saw something fly from the side and slam into one of them.

"This is going to be fun!" he heard as he slammed his fist against the first of many.

"Get down!" he heard someone shout and years of training kicked in before he hit the floor. Something exploded before bits and pieces started to rain on everyone.

"Get to _Piñata_!" Damper shouted before he saw more people run through the shocked _Coyotes_ towards the source of the explosion. He watched them as they created a perimeter around the crater, though it wasn't necessary. Even the _Coyotes_ watched in amazement as bits and pieces pulled themselves together until they started to take the form of a petite woman with wild purple hair.

"The name is _Cinetico, _not freaking _Piñata"_ the woman said when she finally formed a mouth.

"Whatever _chica, _justpull yourself together!" a short stocky man shouted before one of the creatures reacted and launched at him, the man jumped towards the beast and slammed into it like a wrecking ball. He watched as the beast fell with a broken neck to the ground as it tried to mutter a curse, "_tu perra madre_, c'mon bitches!" and then they launched at him.

Conner watched as a horde of them jumped on the man. Before he knew it he was throwing punches left and right trying to get to him.

"That tickles!" then he watched as the small man threw the beasts around in a way no much different than him. They bite and clawed at him but only his clothes were torn. His flesh remained intact.

"Let's move!" and he watched as those of the Posee who didn't have any physical powers appeared and disappeared. They moved like ghost among the creatures before hitting them hard with their pipes. Many broke skulls with one hit, as if they had plenty of practice.

"I am ready to party!" he almost snapped his head turning to look at the newly reformed _Piñata_ as she jumped on the back of another creature.

"Get down!" he heard again and again he threw himself to the ground.

The woman started to shine like a Christmas tree before she exploded in a multitude of colors and pieces of flesh. _Piñata _was a pretty good name for her.

He didn't know how long it lasted but he just kept hitting until no _Coyote _remained. The Posee members were experts at fighting them, which told him they were the ones they needed to help Jaime.

"You have to watch this," a blond woman said from the group before they watched the bodies of the _Coyotes _start to dissolve into dust, "I never get bored of this" she said kicking a bit of the dust, "the sad thing is that she can always make more"

"Don't fret Bonita, we are getting closer. Why else would she send this many?" Damper said before they started to leave.

"Wait, what about-"

"We will look for the _escarabajo, _and talk to him,and then we will decide" Damper said before he and his group disappeared.

Conner waited a few moments before turning to leave. The moon was up by then so he hurried through the now emptying streets. He was getting the feeling that people knew things were not normal in their neighborhood. He kept listening for anything lurking in the dark but nothing appeared. When he made it to the Zeta-beam and then to the farm he had no strength left to practice. He collapsed in the couch and sighed.

He hoped Jaime knew what he was doing and also that he would ask for help if he really needed it. He didn't like going behind his back getting others to do it.


	7. Chapter 7

Becoming Superboy 7

He had been trying to not think about it. He knew better than to think about things that could not be changed, still he couldn't help it. The small moment of childhood that he spent in that lab with Dr. Spencer, it haunted him. If things had been different, if he had been a normal kid growing up in a place like Smallville, or anywhere else, what kind of kid would he had been?

Would he still enjoy sitting in calm room reading, or would he be outside playing with his friends? Would had he been a trouble maker? Or maybe he would be running around with a red cape or a mask playing the role of the make-believe hero. Would he be called to go inside for dinner by his parents?

He tried to imagine all possibilities, but at the end he gave up. It was impossible to say what kind of kid he would have been given the chance. He wanted to be angry at those who created him. He knew they were to blame in their rush to create a Superman of their own. He closed his book realizing he wouldn't be able to get any more reading done. As he stood up he found himself cursing Lex Luthor under his breath. The walls groaned before he took a deep breath.

He had to remember the good things in his life. The small things like being able to go outside, breathe fresh air, and being free. He stood on the porch and watched the fields being harvested by the farmers from the area. Clark asked him to pause his training until they were done. At first he thought it would drive him crazy, but thankfully there was plenty to do at the Watchtower.

As he drove towards the old shed where the Zeta-beam had been hidden he realized this had become a routine. People who didn't know him waved his way now used to seeing him. He waved back without thinking. He wondered where they thought he was going for there was no much in this direction unless they thought he was going towards the city. He entered the rugged path of a farm which had been abandoned a long time ago. The League set the Zeta-Beam inside the old shed. He parked the truck behind the falling house where it could not be spotted unless you were coming from the old weed ridden fields.

When he stepped into the Watch Tower he almost crashed into Bart.

"Watch it!" the speedster actually sneered at him before stepping into the Zeta-beam.

"Bart wait!" Kaldur followed close by without even glancing at him.

"Not something you see every day, right?" Robin said walking towards him with a scowl.

"What happened?" he seemed almost as upset as Bart.

"Kid Flash wants to build a time machine to go back to his time. It looks like a witch told him his timeline still exists and he wants to go back to help them" he said as they started walking.

"That's insane," he said with a frown. Bart's time had been taken because none of the stronger Leagues had been around. What did he think he could do by going back?

"So you are siding with Kaldur" then he realized Bart already had someone planning to go with him.

"Aren't you?" he asked stopping to look at his friend with worry.

"No, I told Bart I would go with him when the time came, Blue too" he said as they continued to walk.

"But you surely see how dangerous that is" his mentor was Batman after all. The man did take risks but he knew how far he could go.

"He came back and saved us. Who knows where we might be if he hadn't" that was true, and he remembered then that they had also been able to stop the invasion.

Superboy nodded, "but the League won't let him" they considered them too young at times for some missions. He had read the reports and knew this to be true.

"Are you with us?" Robin asked him stopping him before entering the hall that led to the control command where Nightwing or sometimes Kaldur informed them of their missions.

"What are yo-" he couldn't possibly mean what he was thinking.

"Are you with us? I won't tell you more until you answer" even though he was half a head shorter than him he felt as if Tim was towering over him.

He nodded not trusting their surroundings to continue speaking. They would find other means to give their help to Bart. As he got his assignments for the day from Nightwing he couldn't help to feel his friend was trying to pick into his mind.

"Not much today, things are starting to calm down" Nightwing said as he started to turn back to the controls.

"Alright," he said starting to leave.

"We are not bullet proof" Nightwing said "please make sure he comes back home. He still has a father to return to"

"I will" he said before leaving the room glad they had another ally.

8888

He stepped into a small apartment in Gotham.

"Leave that on the table, not the floor" said Red Arrow as he worked on a small table.

"This is still sort of working with the League," he said as he took a seat nearby.

"I am not in the field…" Roy (clone) turned his chair and raised an eyebrow at him, "… and neither are you. This is the third delivery you make"

"Dealing with some stuff" he said before levitating a few pieces set on the work table.

"Huh, that's interesting" Red Arrow said not the least bit surprised.

"Red," for it was difficult to keep track of the two Roys, "do you know anything about Dr. Spencer?"

"Ran away with her tail between her legs, staying low, why?" he said as he continued to work.

"I think she knew about this," he said trying not to let much information out.

"And you think she is going to help you?" he laughed as he turned to the other clone.

"I don't know, but I think she was rather invested on me, so she might have some answers"

"For all we know she could be dead in a ditch, she did help us against The Light" and then he noticed the expression on the teens face, "there is something you aren't telling me"

"Is hard to explain," he said unable to meet his eyes. He knew Roy went through hell thanks to Cadmus and didn't think best to push the issue further.

"Then I don't want to know," he said with a frown. There was a reason why he did not go back to the field. Not because he didn't think he wasn't physically fit, hell Jade made them spar just about every day, but mentally he wasn't. He spent so many years chasing after the bad guys that he almost forgot what was really important. He didn't want to fall into that hole again.

He was already standing when Jade opened the door accompanied by her little girl.

"Well, if it is Super-brat" Jade said with a smirk, "or is it now Delivery Boy"

"Suppey!" the little girl smiled at him.

"Hello Lyan," he said looking at the almost two year old.

"Hmm, I think I have an idea" Jade said with a smile that made Conner shiver.

"No, you don't" said Roy, "he has new powers and he is still working on them"

"Well, maybe next time then" Jade sighed a little tired.

Conner turned to Roy with a questioning look.

"She wanted you to baby sit Lyan. She is a handful. Since she started walking the only one that is able to keep up with her is Artemis" Roy explained.

Conner turned to look at the little girl who at first he thought was giving him a rather innocent smile, but then he saw the resemblance with her mother. Maybe he had just dodged a bullet.

888

"Hey Conner!" Bart waved at him in his usual way. He wondered if he had imagined the angry speedster the morning of that same day. He walked towards the awaiting group and wondered if he had gone mad. What they were planning was insane.

"Are you sure they won't find us?" he asked.

"Blue is blocking the signals and so am I" Tim said before leading them away. It would not do if someone from the League or The Team decided to drop by. They went into a café and sat around a small table. He thought they must look like normal teens as they ordered to their hearts content, especially Bart.

"So where do we start?" Jaime asked once the food was brought.

"I have been doing a lot of research," Bart said, "and there are a few things that we need to get and others we need to make" he said before Conner noted the large backpack he was carrying. He pulled out some papers before spreading them over the table.

He picked one and read through it. He could make sense of some of the words, others he had to resource to the knowledge given to him by the Genomorphs, and even then he could barely make sense of it.

"This is just theoretical work" Tim said who was readying through more of them.

"Actually not," Jaime said reading through them faster and tilting his head every other moment, "but it could be better"

Bart handed him a pen before Jaime started writing in between Bart's notes.

"The Reach wanted to make something similar at one point to return back to the time the Lanterns almost destroyed them, but they were missing something very important…"

"What?" Bart asked. It seemed he had reached a similar conclusion.

Jaime tilted his head as he listened to the scarab before frowning, then he replied with a smile "An anchor," and he followed to explain to them by what he meant.

"But that means we only get one chance" Conner said looking at Bart.

"We have to try," he said with a pained smile.

They had to, didn't they? As they ate, Blue kept adding more notes into what the physical equivalent of Bart's notes would produce.

As night fell they were able to create a list. They divided it in two parts. Some they would have to find, others they had to make. Then they split them on places they would be likely to get them. They thought of friends who could help them, of every source they could consult and split those items among themselves.

"Can't have my parents panicking and calling the League" Jaime said after paying his bill.

"We should head out too" Tim said before the rest also headed out home where people were waiting for them.

Conner found he didn't want to Smallville just yet. He ended up in busy streets Metropolis rummaging through the still open book stores. He was after new books to read back home, not that he expected to have free time anytime soon.

"Kent?" and then someone placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and found a woman who looked familiar but couldn't quite recall. She had long dark hair and incredible violet eyes. She was indeed pretty, he wondered if Clark knew her.

"I think you have me mistaken for someone else" he said to the woman, "Ms…"

"Lois Lane" she said with a raised eyebrow.

Now he recalled. He remembered Clark used to work alongside her when he was still part of the Daily Planet. Also she was known to be the number one source about Superman when he first appeared, though that reputation had faded over the years.

"Then you must mean Clark Kent when you called me. I think you are off for quite a few years" he continued to look for a book worth readying. There was so much teen drama those days that it was hard to find new authors worth readying.

"I thought you were related to him, you could be his son" she said trying to catch his eye.

"A claim that I am sure Mr. Kent would not take kindly, especially since you two don't work together anymore" he was sure he saw her flinch.

"So you don't know him" she said ready to leave him alone.

"I never said that" he said with a smile "I might be a fan of his, especially after he left the Daily Planet"

"And I imagine not mine" she turned her head with a sharp smile.

"Your articles have lost a lot of their edge, as if someone was taking out the spark out of them" censorship and editors took out the parts they didn't think would fit the new image of the Daily Planet. The ugly truths that Clark continued to point to people so there would a reaction in motion were the complete opposite of what the new Daily Planet wanted.

She glared at him before walking out. Conner wasn't sure if Clark was still friends with her, but he was indeed not a fan of her work, at least not anymore. When he finally made it home it was close to midnight and waiting on the porch was no other than Clark. He went to sit next to him and waited for him to tell him what was in his mind.

"There is a very special day approaching…" he started.


	8. Chapter 8

Becoming Superboy 8

"And just leave it in the oven for four hours, remember to marinate it or is going to be dry"

"Isn't it kind of big?" Conner looked at the semi-frozen bird they had bought.

"Is it?" Miss Martian asked looking at it as if for the first time. She was so used to cook for larger groups that she didn't realize until then that it might be a bit too much "turkey sandwiches for a few days?"

"Or I could always invite Bart over" he said before unpacking the rest of the ingredients in the kitchen.

"This isn't weird, is it?" she asked fidgeting at the door.

"I don't think we could ever be anything but that" he was a clone and she was from Mars after all.

"That's not what I mean, you and me… being actual friends… not like before"

"Is only different," he said leaning on the counter, "but I don't think I have ever not considered you my friend, even when you snap at me"

"I wouldn't have to snap at you if you kept your damn powers under control" and then she covered her mouth in shock before the amused Conner started to laugh "is not funny!"

"Whatever you say," but they were getting better.

"You better write this down because I am not repeating myself" she huffed crossing her arms.

He wanted to say how hard it could be to cook a bird and smash some potatoes, but soon learned that M'gann didn't go small on Thanksgiving; Triple Cheese Spirals, Brussels Sprouts Gratin, Sweet Potato Soufflé, Bacon Hasselback Potatoes, and many others. After writing what would actually be a good cooking book M'gann left pleased to show her past years on Earth had been productive beyond crime fighting. He was truly thankful for her help though he wasn't sure he would be able to follow every one of her steps. It was late at night that he left everything that could be prepared then ready and the rest at hand for the next day.

As he lay on bed he wondered if he should just disappear for the following days. It might be easier on all them if he asked Nightwing to give him a 'sudden' mission. Whatever he had for him would be better than what awaited him the next day. Of course, he wouldn't give him anything dangerous. He turned to the missions he had been receiving; delivering equipment to smaller bases around the world, looking into issues as a civilian to get inside info, checking with their sources, and on and on. Always alone, and though he did ask to be alone he was getting sick of it.

And talking about getting sick, he sighed as he sat on bed, someone was sneaking towards the house… again.

He sensed the intruder pick into the house through the back door kitchen window. Interestingly it was not one of the brats from weeks ago. He snuck downstairs silently and heard as the kid tried to pick the lock on the door. Five minutes passed and he sat on the steps of the stairs wondering when he would realize it was not even locked. In any other case he would have confronted the kid, but he was bored and wondered if he would just give up; five more minutes before he heard the door open and watched as the kid snuck inside.

He kept to the stairs where the shadows hid him and watched as the kid fumbled with his phone before he started recording.

"Journal of Simon Valentine, entry 985. A few weeks ago a few odd occurrences started to happen in town. The local store owned by Alice Wright better known as Dorothy's Market reported exploding sodas on the back of the store where they were perfectly cool and in good state. Same day Windows and Peeks reported an interesting number of broken glasses for no reason"

And how come that led him to break into the house? He knew it was his fault those things happened, but how was he able to connect the dots?

"No long after Nelson Thompson and his lackeys started running a rumor that the fields of the Kent farm were haunted. This led me to realize that the arrival of Conner Kent (if that's his real name), marked the beginning of these events. Fairly enough, I can say that Smallville is a strange town to start with; we have had odd situations even before Kent arrived to town"

Conner watched him go into the living room and tape the inside, his reading choice left on the coffee table, and then return into the kitchen but not without bumping his knee in a corner or two.

"But further investigation on previous events have led me once again to the Kents"

Okay, this didn't sound good.

"After questioning around I discovered that Martha and Jonathan Kent were said to rarely hire hands for the keeping of their farm though it is quite extensive. However this changed when their son left for Metropolis. Even if Clark Kent was a good guy and helped his parents around the farm, they would still need at least ten hands to get the job done. To prove my point, after the passing of the Kents the handling of the fields has been handed to other families, not just one"

Conner stood and snuck to the doorway of the kitchen where he saw the kid was recording the contents of the fridge and other spaces.

"This brought me to question the nature of Clark Kent. It was hard but finally a few of the older residents of Smallville admitted to knowing Mr. Kent was adopted. He was said to be the son of Martha Kent's sister who died in a car accident. The archives of the library show that around that time a large meteorite shower passed over town. Now, to those who are listening to all this you might think it's a coincidence after another, but I truly believe Mr. Kent is not who he says he is"

"And who is he then?" Conner asked as he turned on the light in the kitchen.

"Ehm… Eh…" the kid opened his mouth and then closed it before rushing towards the back door.

"I don't think so," Conner grabbed him by the shoulder and sat him on one of chairs forcefully. He went and closed the door, "is this another prank? Making a stupid video to get under our nerves?"

"You tell me," though the kid was shaking, Conner had to give him props for questioning him.

"I don't have to tell you anything, you broke into our house muttering who knows what nonsense" he rested his back against the wall, never looking away from the invader.

"So you were listening?" he said with a smirk, as if that proved his ideas right.

"Ready to beat you up if you tried to break anything" he narrowed his eyes, "or you are going to tell me you really believe all of that stupidity you were sputtering"

"Is not stupid!" he shouted, his cheeks reddening, "strange things have been going on around Smallville, especially this farm since Clark Kent came to live here, and then you"

"So you are saying we are not human?" he said dropping his arms to the sides, trying to look annoyed.

"Well, yeah" the kid said now bit less sure.

"You have too much free time kid," he sighed, "c'mon, I will take you home"

"You are not calling the sheriff?" he stood up shocked.

"You didn't break or steal anything" he grabbed his jacket from the hanger by the door, "you are only a kid with too much imagination"

He wondered how a kid could figure so much. It was something he would expect of Tim or any of the bats, but not a kid who could not tell apart a locked door from one that wasn't. He drove towards one of the farms nearby. He turned off the truck not too close to the actual house.

"Next time I will call the cops," he said looking straight ahead.

"You don't fool me," the kid said raising his head in challenge as he got out of the truck, "I know you are hiding something"

"Get some sleep and have a good Thanksgiving" Conner said as he pulled back and then turned the truck to drive back home. He watched from the side mirror as the kid pulled his phone and started recording him drive away.

"Journal of Simon Valentine, entry 986. After a close encounter with Conner Kent, I am convinced something is happening with the Kents"

That was just great.

By the time he got back the sun was already picking out. He sighed as he started getting ready for what he suspected would be one of the longest days of his life. He wanted to curse the kid for making him miss his chance to get out of that mess. At least he could stick to getting the dinner ready and use that as a distraction from _her._

"What in the name of Rao are you doing?" Kara almost slammed the door off its hinges when she entered.

"Cooking" he said shortly as he placed some pies in the oven. When he turned around he couldn't help to be a little surprised to see her in civilian clothing. Kara always insisted on wearing Kryptonian clothing, but this time she wore a pair of black pants, gray shirt and a red cardigan.

"What are you looking at" she glared at him.

"Nothing, would you like something to eat?" he said looking pointedly at some ingredient on the counter.

"No" she said turning and going into the living room

He was actually happy she declined. It was awkward to share space with anyone who tried to lobotomize you with her heat vision. He had done his best to stay out of her way since then. He understood why she mistrusted clones, but he had hoped she would see beyond that when they met. If it hadn't been for Superman…

He decided make the memory go away by preparing something for him. When he sensed a familiar car, he started on a second set of pancakes.

"That smells nice," Clark said as he entered through the back door.

"Kal-El" Kara said picking in, "are we going to the parade?"

The way her face lightened and her eyes shone made his gut clench with a dark feeling. She was usually nice to everyone around her, but him.

"There is still a few hours before it starts, you two are early birds" he smiled taking a seat before Conner handed him his plate, "thanks" he waited until Conner sat, "have you ever been to a Thanksgiving day parade?"

"I have seen them on TV," M'gann used to make him watch them. The first time he thought they looked fun, but afterwards he found them too crowded and loud.

"Well, it's not a big as ones on TV, but you are going to have fun"

"He is going?" Kara asked, her chirpiness evaporating from her voice.

If looks could kill… He guessed Kara didn't think he would also be going to the parade.

"I don't think that's a good idea" Conner said before things escalated.

"Why ever not?" Clark looked from one to the other.

"I want to stay away from crowded place until I can control my powers" Conner said as it was kind of true, "there is always next year" he offered.

"I understand," sighed Clark before putting his fork down, "I see you took over the kitchen, do you need any help?"

Conner was thankful he dropped the subject before they started to get the meal ready. He was not used to thinking like this but he was glad Kara was stuck only watching them, or glaring in his case. She didn't know the first thing about human food, well she did know how to eat it, but cooking was something else.

"I didn't know you knew how to cook" he said as he watched Conner prepare the potatoes for the oven.

"M'gann is a good teacher," he said before starting on the turkey's stuffing.

"Are you two…" he remembered how happy those two looked together.

"Just friends" Conner saw calmly

"Ble…" they both turned to watch Kara stick her tongue out. When she realized she had been caught she turned away and blushed.

"So mature," Conner said as he continued with the stuffing.

Clark asked before Kara could retort, "have you thought of what I asked you?"

"I don't think I have experience to make a good enough contribution" Conner said after a moment's thought.

"But that's the point" he said before Conner raised an eyebrow at him, "you are young, we want the point of view of the young"

"I am seven years old," he said with a smirk.

"You know what I am talking about" Clark said shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Kara asked tired of not being able to follow.

"I want Conner to write an article for Clarkcatropolis, or at least try" he said glancing at the obstinate teen.


	9. Chapter 9

Becoming Superboy 9

He watched them go towards town from the living room window. He didn't care much for parades but still wished Kara would lighten up and stop seeing him as just a clone. After he was done with all he needed to do for the dinner he went to his laptop and started to write. While in the kitchen he had come up with a good topic. He really wanted to write something worthy for the news. Overtime, besides respecting Superman as his mentor, he realized he also appreciated Clark Kent's honest and shocking style of writing. Many saw Superman as a polite, unable to hurt an innocent soul kind of man (alien), but as a writer he was bold and even scary. You really didn't want to be on the opposite end of his articles. He thought of the recent events in the world and though of how he dissected those he covered with certain coldness, but also without missing those affected by the events. Just as he felt short on his powers compared to those of his mentor, he also felt short on his skills to write what he wanted to say.

As he was about to give up he sensed a car driving towards the farm. There was something familiar about the person in it but he couldn't remember from where. Once the car parked he stepped outside and saw the one and only Lois Lane staring at him in shock.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him with a frown, "are you a stalker or something?"

"I live here," he said crossing his arms.

"Then you are his son," she said with a smug smile, "who would have thought Smallville had a love child"

"I am not his son," Conner said with a sigh, "we are cousins"

"Right," she said rolling her eyes, "now where is he?"

"He went with our cousin to the parade in town" he said wondering why she would come this far looking for Clark.

"Cousin?" she asked.

"Would you like to wait for him inside?" he said before she nodded and followed.

"It has been a long time," she said looking around, "but this place hasn't changed a bit"

He was about to ask her when she visited before but she seemed sad at remembering. She probably knew Clark's parents. Many said they were the kind of people you learned to care for within a short time.

"I thought Clark would spend the day alone. I didn't know he still had family since he was adopted and well…"

Conner he brought some snacks from the kitchen, "is a long story"

"Maybe I should go" she said after thinking for a moment. She had only come because Clark told Cat Grant that he would spend a few days at the farm. Lois thought she would keep him from moping around.

"So you are still friends," he said with a small smile.

"Kind of, but I am still upset that they published that picture of Superman kissing Wonder Woman, and they call us a scandal mongering rag"

"They were under a mistletoe," he said unable to forget the even from last year, "and Superman made them write another article with the right details"

"I know! But it still bothers me that Clark has more pull with the League than us" she said picking into his laptop; her turned to away from her. He only had a few lines written but it was still embarrassing to have an award winning reporter looking at your work.

"I don't think that's true," it was actually one of the Team's members who took the picture and accidentally leaked it. Cat Grant was just faster on finding it than the Daily Planet.

"But he barely talks to me anymore," she rolled her eyes, "is like he also agrees with Clark that he doesn't like where the Daily Planet is going"

"Maybe he does, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care anymore" when she still got into trouble, though it wasn't often, he was still there to save her.

"Are all the Kents goodie two shoes?" she asked giving him a skeptical look.

"Clark is a good role model" he shrugged. Then he sensed Clark's car coming back.

"Lois?" he said faking surprise at seeing her in his living room with Conner.

"Hey Smallville, you didn't tell him you had a kid" she teased.

"Conner is my cousin, on my biological father's side of the family, just like Kara" he stepped to the side for Kara to come in. It wasn't exactly a lie, right?

"Hello," she said trying not to show it bothered her that people thought Conner was her cousin's son.

"And here I was thinking you would spend the holiday like a splinter," she sighed getting up ready to leave.

"Why don't you stay?" Conner didn't realize what he said until the words came out of his mouth. He looked towards his mentor who didn't seem a bit bothered by the suggestion. This day from what he understood was also about friends and for her to come this far to check on Clark it must meant she still saw him as a friend.

"You are already here," Clark said adding his own invitation, and he knew she would just go home to a frozen meal if he let her go, "and Conner is pretty good cook"

Both Conner and Clark looked at Kara. It took her a moment get it.

"Ehm… I kind of don't want to spend the whole day just with two guys" she told Lois.

Lois looked at all three before she started laughing, "It's a fact, you Kents are too nice but I guess that's okay. I will stay as long as I don't have to bake anything"

"Deal," laughed Clark remembering the one time she tried to bake cookies and then gave them away in the office. Half the office was so sick they couldn't get to work the next day and the other half to constantly go to the restroom.

"You are remembering the cookie incident" she said in a deadpan before she wasn't able to hold her laughter again.

Kara and Conner shared a look of agreement for the first time. This was going somewhere.

The rest of the day they set the TV to play some of the games from that day. Conner had little to no interest on them. Clark watched them from where he was trying to make a decent cornucopia but more from out habit than anything else.

"That was a nice Flea Flicker!" Lois shouted after a quarterback handed the ball off to a running back who in turns pitched it back to the quarterback who then threw it to a receiver down field.

"A what?" Kara asked before Lois explained to her the move, "oh," she didn't think earthling games could be that complicated.

Once the game was over they turned the TV to where the Metropolis parade was showing.

"How much you want to bet a bad guy is going to try to ruin it?" Lois said with a sigh.

"I am sure the League kept a few people around just in case" Clark said as he continued working on the Cornucopia.

"Clark?" Lois asked turning away from the TV to watch him. Conner who had been working on his article on the readying chair looked up as discreetly as possible to watch the exchange.

"Yes?" Clark asked keeping his eyes on his work.

"How do you think Superman spends his Thanksgivings? He was raised on Earth and in this country after all" she asked with a thoughtful look. Conner wondered if she was worried his mentor was alone on this day.

"I really wouldn't know, maybe he doesn't" Clark said as calmly as before.

"You think he celebrates Kryptonian holidays, if they have any holiday that is" Lois thought out loud.

Kara was about to answer when Superboy used his abilities without thinking to drown any word she spoke. She glared at him but then he pointed with his eyes that they weren't asking her. Kryptonians did have a few holidays, and weren't that different from those on Earth at times. His mentor tried to spend a few of them like it was done in Krypton, especially since Kara arrived so she wouldn't feel alone.

Conner didn't really try to join as he didn't like policies Krypton used to have on clones. He admitted some of them were okay, but others really made his blood cold.

"Maybe" Clark shrugged.

"You two are friends, aren't you?" she shot her arrow in a form of a question.

"Not really" Clark said dodging the metaphorical arrow.

"C'mon, you and Cat have been doing plenty of reports on him. You must have a source" and she doubted it was just their fans that sent them the info as soon as they saw it.

"Off the record?" he asked her and she nodded, "not really, is just luck" it was because of their fans, but most of the Superman related stuff was thanks to him.

"If you weren't Smallville I would say you are lying," she said crossing her arms and returned to watch the parade. Interestingly enough there were no incidents.

Clark shook his head in misbelief. He wasn't a boy scout like the others said. He hoped he had a chance to show her someday.

After a walk around the fields which was a Kent tradition before having the Thanksgiving dinner and then having a look at the damn tractor no one could fix they went inside to have dinner.

"And the kid cooked it all?" Lois asked in awe and Clark and Conner started to bring the dishes out.

"Most of it," Clark said as an embarrassed Conner and him placed the rather large bird in the center of the table, "alright, since Lois is joining tonight I am going to explain the rules" it was also the first time Kara and Conner had Thanksgiving with Clark, but that was left unsaid, "we are giving thanks using the alphabet going from the oldest to the youngest. Since I am actually the oldest I will start. I am thankful for _**All**_ the people standing around this table." He said with a smile before looking at Lois.

Lois Lane was speechless for a moment. Her father, when they used to celebrate Thanks giving together was a more straight forward, "Ehm… I am thankful for the… B… _**Baked**_ goods we are hopefully eating soon" she said before the rest smiled, even Kara.

"Kara?" Clark prompted.

"I am thankful for the _**Cherry**_ pie, it's my favorite" though she didn't say she missed Mrs. Kent's pie and didn't think Conner's would be even close to be as good.

"I am thankful for the _**Dear**_ friend who took the time to teach how to cook this dinner" he said without thinking much about it.

"I am thankful for _**Each **_time friends and family are able to see each other such as this occasion"

"He is good," Lois said before trying to think what to say, and then she said with a smirk "I am thankful for _**Football **_and all the good looking players involved in it"

And it went on and one, of course they skipped X and then had a calm meal.

"I might kidnap your cousin and turn him into my personal cook" Lois announced as they started on the dessert, "this is good"

Kara stared at her slice of pie before taking a small bit of it. It was good, but of course she didn't say it out loud. Still, she was glad to taste it was not as good as Mrs. Kent's.

"Have you ever thought about going to culinary school?" Lois asked the teen.

"Actually I am already studying journalism and creative writing" he said hoping the question of his age wouldn't come up.

"I thought you were still in High School" she said surprised.

"I am few years ahead," he said before taking another bite from the pie. It wasn't as good as Megan's.

"Like how many," she had seen him writing before, but she had thought it was part of his homework for school. Like the classic 'what did you do for Thanksgiving'. He muttered something under his breath, "what did he say?"

"He is ahead by three years, actually he needs to complete one more semester to get his journalist degree and then one more after that for the one on creative writing" Clark said looking at his clone with wonder. He had never seen him act like that before, "he worked for two degrees at the same time, so I made him take a break here at the farm for at least one semester"

"Two degrees," Lois said looking at the boy a little shocked, "so your are mentoring our competition" and Conner could swear she really did see him as a threat.

"You could say that, but I actually asked him to write something for Clarkcatropolis" Clark said proudly. He believed in Conner's potential.

"That's unfair," Lois said crossing her arms, "just because he is your cousin you don't get to steal him"

"I am not stealing him, he is my cousin" Clark laughed, but a little tense. He had a feeling as where this so called conversation was going.

"What if I offer you a chance to publish it at the Daily Planet?" she told Conner who was at loss of words.

"He is not a fan of the Daily Planet, not since Galaxy Communications took over" he said in tense voice, much like he was facing a bad guy.

"Is that you or him talking Clark?" Lois said with a smirk, "the boy can talk, you know?"

Then they both turned to look at him. He realized then that he had no ally on this situation. He looked a little hopeful at Kara who had smirk on her face. No ally at all.

"Well?" asked Lois with a serious voice

"Take your time Conner," Clark said confident Conner would decide to side with him.

In reality both offer were rather tempting. He admired Clarkcatropolis because they were what the Daily Planet used to be. They were all about the truth and sought justice by making people aware of what was going on in the world. But then again he knew if he could get his work published at the Daily Planet that would be a great push in the future for the career he hoped to build.

"Conner?" asked his mentor a little worried.

"I haven't even finished," he admitted, "let me think about it"

"I place you in the first page," Lois said with a fanged smile.

"Mr. White is still the chief editor," Clark reminded her.

"We are old friend" she said though she knew Clark had seen through her bluff.

"You can be as free as you want on what you want to say" Clark offered with his kindest smile.

"Right, like letting a teenager say whatever… I mean we can work around the loopholes, don't worry about the editors" Lois said before Conner stood up.

"I will think about it," he said trying to sound more decisive before the two very competitive reporters. He gave his mentor an apologetic look, but he really wanted to consider the offer.

Clark sighed in resignation, "alright"

He allowed himself to relax before walking towards the kitchen, "I am going for a walk" he said and a few moments later he was walking away towards the forest where he usually practiced. He was glad he had better hold over his powers but all the pressure back there was making it difficult for him to concentrate. When he made it to the woods with ease he was able to make the loose debris taken into the air and star following him like a storm. He had a good hold of that now, and after the encounter he had in El Paso, he realized he had yet to find his limit. He lifted boulder, fallen trunks, and anything heavy he could find. He then jumped using the larger objects as steps until he reached the top of the trees and had a clear view of the night sky.

It was an incredible sight and when the cold autumn wind blew and he felt its chill he allowed his senses to expand around the forest.

"That is something," Conner almost lost his concentration when his mentor appeared before him. He had travelled there so fast his senses barely had time to register his arrival, "I think I could talk to Kaldur about giving you access back to the Watchtower"

Since Conner had joined Bart, Tim and Jaime on trying to build a machine to go to Bart's time he had been restricted access to the Watchtower, just like the rest. He didn't mind as much as things had calmed down.

"I need some more time," Conner said, "I think I can do more. I noticed when I am in contact with someone I can sense their thoughts and feelings. If they are strong enough I don't even have to touch them. Also…" he looked pointedly at his floating mentor, "I think I can also do that"

"I don't doubt it, but I think you do" Superman floated closer to Conner, "you have a lot of potential and me and all those around you can see it. Still you doubt yourself"

"You are not talking about my powers only, aren't you?"

His mentor smiled at him before his expression became regretful, "sorry for acting that way before. I don't know what came over me. I know it would be a great opportunity to have your work in the Daily Planet, so if you decide to do that…"

Conner nodded in understanding. He was glad he could decide without worry. He hadn't made up his mind but he was glad his decision would not be swayed by his mentor. It was his life out of the Team, something he was still getting used. He was aware of how things worked, but he wasn't sure how to go about them. Even after he ended his relation with M'gann he still hadn't seen anyone else.

He knew there were plenty of women interested on him back at school but he had no idea on how to respond to their interest. He looked at his mentor and thought about asking him, but then again it might not be the best moment.

"Let's go back home, or they will worry" he said before Conner game him a questioning look, "she has behaved, hasn't she?"

"She tried to lobotomize me" he reminded his mentor, "and I can sense she is still on edge when she is around me. I am surprised she ate my cooking"

"That's an improvement, isn't?"

"I guess so," said Conner as they walked back to the house.


	10. Chapter 10

Becoming Superboy 10

Conner woke up at one point in the middle of the night. He wasn't sure why at first but then sensed movement in the kitchen. For a moment he thought it was the kid from a few nights ago breaking in but then realized it was just Lois going through the cabinets. He was about to get up and see what she needed when he sensed Clark get up first. Since he had taken the sofa in the living room it didn't take him any time to reach Lois. He decided to leave it to him and tried to go back to sleep.

"Lois?"

"You have something to drink?"

He wasn't eavesdropping, it wasn't his fault he had super-hearing.

He listened as Clark opened the top cabinet, which was actually out of her reach before he pulled out a bottle of Vodka. There was the clink of glasses, ice, cranberry juice being poured and then the Vodka.

"You remember my poison, I am so touched"

"We did celebrate a few times together"

"So you leave the kid here on his own with a cabinet with alcohol?"

"I trust him"

"But not me," she said before taking a sip, "you never told me about your 'cousins'" she still didn't sound convinced.

"Is complicated," Clark said as he sat across from Lois.

And he drank from his own glass not offering anything else. Though his mentor appeared calm and composed Conner could hear his heart accelerate; the few times he had noticed that happen was when they were fighting someone truly dangerous. He wondered if this daring reporter could truly be a threat.

"I bet it is," Lois said before drinking the full amount of her glass in one go, "I wonder what else you aren't telling me Smallville"

"I don't know what you could possibly mean,"

"I knew you weren't such a good guy after all," she said as she poured herself another glass, "no one can be that nice without fault"

"No one can be nice if they want to be a good reporter, especially one that can go head to head with you" he said as he poured himself another glass.

"Touché," she said with a small laugh before they became quiet again. After another glass each she said in a hopeful voice, "you know you are always welcome back to the Daily Planet, don't you?"

"I don't want to go back," he said tiredly, "Cat and I-"

"You are a hit, I know" Lois said bitterly, "she draws the readers in and you make them stay in awe for your articles. You two are almost as good as a team as you and I used to be when we weren't competing against each other"

Conner heard Clark's heart rate increase again, "we could be a team again if you left the-"

"I can't" was her short and blunt answer.

"Why not?" Clark's voice was strained, "if is because of the pay we-"

"Because White is retiring next year," she said before they went quiet again.

Conner knew Mr. White had been the chief editor for the Daily Planet for a very long time and was respected as one of the best in the news community. He retiring meant someone would have to step up to fill the rather large vacuum he was leaving behind.

"You?" his mentor asked with a shaky voice, as if he was saying goodbye to someone he didn't expect ever see again.

"That's what they told me," she said frowning.

"I thought you would be happy for an opportunity like this" he asked worriedly.

"I would be if you came back. I could pull some strings and keep your articles just as they are" Conner then heard her emptying another glass. He wondered how hard this was for her.

"There are still plenty of good reporters in the Daily Planet, you could do the same for them" his mentor said.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?!" she shouted as she slammed her hands on the table making her empty glass topple.

"Lois… I…"

"Forget I said anything. Forget I even came here" in a rush she had got up and grabbed her purse before hurrying to the door.

"Where are-" Clark was right behind her.

"Back home, where do you think?" she snapped at him.

"You are not driving like this" he said sternly.

"You don't get to tell me what to do Smallville," she said as she stepped out into the cold autumn night.

Conner was glad he had better control over his abilities because sometimes it felt as if he was intruding into people's hearts. For a moment he felt all their emotions; heartbreak, frustration, and unshed tears before he blocked them out. When Clark took her car keys from her and she tried to reach out for them he sensed something else. As his mentor took her by surprise by taking hold of her chin and then leaning down he understood why this woman made his heart race. When their lips touched, he made himself block every one of his sensed and then really tried to go back to sleep without excuse.

The following morning he went down the stairs as quiet as possible. He didn't allow his senses to expand afraid but more embarrassed of what he would find. When he made it to the living room he tried to not sigh loudly. He found them sleeping on the couch leaning against each other. He wondered if they had fallen asleep talking.

He went into the kitchen and started to work on something for everyone to eat and something to relieve the hangover that probably Lois would have.

"Is she his intended?" since he had blocked some of his senses he was a little surprised when Kara asked from the door.

"I don't think so, is too soon for that" he said as he continued on what he was doing, "coffee?"

Her jaw tensed before she said, "yes" and then sat by the table while he got it ready. He placed a mug with hot coffee before her and then in the middle of the table a container with sugar. By the time he had served his own cup and sat across from her he found she hadn't touched it yet.

"I didn't poison it if that's what you are thinking," he said before drinking from his.

She glared at him and for a moment he thought she would try to use her heat vision on him again.

"Why did you pick that name?" she said before drinking from her cup, "he was a murdered, a true abomination" and it happened in her time when she was just a child.

Conner placed his cup down as he thought for a moment. His Kryptonian name was Kon, which meant abomination for the people of Krypton for the man who used to have that name led the clones of Krypton into revolt. Up until that point it sounded fine but the way they went about it was truly brutal. They had no respect whatsoever for the lives of the Kryptonians as they tore through cities destroying everything in their path. Kon was said to be the most brutal of all.

"When Kal told me first of what Kon did I was afraid," he started hoping that with this they would finally reach some agreement of civility, "because when I gained full Kryptonian abilities I lost sense of myself, I became probably as violent and likely as dangerous as him" for some reason Kryptonian DNA was very unstable which made full clones like those of Krypton and Match so difficult to manage, "so to remind myself that I must not lose sense of myself again I picked that name"

She seemed shocked for a moment before composing herself, "you were able to gain all Kryptonian abilities?"

"For a short time," he said looking at his cup, "Luthor made these patches that could block the human parts of my DNA, when that happened I could do everything you two can. I almost hurt my friends because of it, so I haven't tried them ever again" then he looked at Kara, "but that isn't the only reason why I chose Kon as my name"

She frowned and he believed she already knew what he was going to say.

"The way Kryptonians treated them was horrible," he told her, "I am not justifying what those clones did but they were sentient beings with feelings and wishes of their own. They revolted not because of their makeup, but because of all the things they were denied. They were denied knowledge that went beyond their necessary tasks which led them to feel inferior and loathe themselves. When you hate yourself that much, how can you expect someone to care for anyone else?"

She glared at him but didn't contradict him, "I have been going to the community college in Metropolis to learn more about the cultures and history of this planet so I understand where these ideas come from"

It was Kon's turn to be surprised because he believed he heard her agree with him in that statement.

"But you still have to admit that their nature would probably have still led them to revolt. They were not like those of this planet who went through that situation. You have even admitted that you have felt the effects of violent tendencies when accessing full Kryptonian abilities"

"Then I have misspoken," he said, "from the moment I gained self-awareness that part of my nature has been present but I learned to control it. The sudden gain of full Kryptonian abilities threw my control, which wasn't even that good at the time, out the window"

"So even now you feel it?" she asked as he picked a small increase of her heart rate.

"But I control it," he said, "and that control has only grown by doing something of my choosing which goes against the reason why I was created. I have gained a sense of self that I believed would have prevented that revolt had they been given the chance"

"So you blame us for what they did" he could tell she wanted to sound upset, but she actually sounded tired as if the thought had crossed her mind many times before.

"There is no us or they," he said, "just a very sad and tragic event that couldn't be stopped because of the lack of vision on both sides. Those clones were not made stupid. They knew there were other ways to go about their revolt but allowed one person alone to lead them without questioning. This name is also to remind me that I must be the person I want to be, not the one I was created to be or expected by someone else to be. I am not just a clone"

Kara was about to say something else but then they heard shifting coming from the living room. He was sort of glad they were interrupted since he had the feeling they were going to need a break from that conversation. He realized as Lois entered the kitchen that he actually had a conversation, and a rather long one with Kara.

"My head…" she groaned before she noticed the two teens sitting across from each other, "is that coffee"

"Which you are not getting," Conner said before Lois gave him a sharp look, she was not a morning person to start with, "you are dehydrated, you need water" and soon enough he was handing her a glass of what and then serving her some toast, scrambled eggs and bacon.

"I still want coffee" she said before Conner gave in and served her a cup.

"Are you Clark's intended?" Kara asked before Lois almost choked on her coffee.

"His what?" Lois asked because if she remembered correctly intended meant someone you were going to marry.

"She means to ask if you two will be dating," Conner said wondering how Kryptonians could have been so advanced yet so backwards "which is none of our business"

"Of course it is," Kara said crossing her arms, "he is our cousin" and the last male Kryptonian.

"Who is not a child you need to hover over" Clark said entering the kitchen, "I am going to make some calls" he said before leaving through the back door without even glancing at Lois.

"I am guessing not," Kara said a little surprised. Even back in Krypton Kal would have been regarded as handsome.

"And I thought my prom had been awkward," Lois said taking another sip from her coffee. She then realized she was receiving questioning looks from both teens, "it's on hold right now" she said trying her best not to blush.

"I am going to town, I will be right back!" Clark shouted.

Conner then allowed his senses to expand. Something wasn't right. It was moving fast and it was hungry. It was being driven towards them because it could sense their power. To the creature they were like a feast to a starving man.

"Parasite" he couldn't help whispering the name of the creature. He had read the file on it once after Superman had defeated it. He and the rest of the Team had been forbidden from confronting it because of how dangerous it was. He sensed as his mentor went to confront the creature once man. He had the shape of a tall man with purple melted wax like skin; its eyes were a bloody red, its mouth circular and fanged like that of a leach. It was terrifying sight but more terrifying was what it could do. He could sense it as clearly as seeing it in person. This creature left a path of death on its wake. It absorbed the life and strength of everything it touched. Even then as Superman was fighting him he made sure not to touch the creature.

"Kid?" he realized he was spacing out, "everything okay?"

"Sorry?"

"How is your article going?" Lois asked, "I am curious what someone your age would decide to write about"

"I am going for a walk," Kara said before she rushed to leave. He guessed she was also checking on Superman. He concentrated on him again and found Parasite had taken hold of Superman's arm and taken some of his energy and strength. Even though it was just for a moment, it was all Parasite needed.

"Well, I guess one of you Kents isn't interested on being a reporter" Lois said though she didn't sound that disappointed.

"Is there anything you are working on Ms. Lane?"

"Just call me Lois kid," she said, "and is curious you ask. Actually I am working on something big. If you promise not to tell your cousin I guess I could share some of it with you"

"Okay," he said hoping this would distract her enough for her not to notice there were small shock waves approaching them. Superman and Supergirl were hitting the over powered Parasite with all they had.

"I guess you don't know my father is one of the top generals in the country," she started.

Conner did know since the man had many times cooperated with Lex Luthor and caused Superman trouble.

"A few weeks ago he approached me with a question that took me by surprise. He asked me if I had met Supergirl"

He had been trying to concentrate on the fight miles away but could no longer after hearing this.

"Supergirl?" he asked.

"I had no idea who he was talking about until he showed some long range shots of a flying blonde girl. Though they weren't very clear the colors she wore and the 'S' on her chest were easy enough to see"

"So there is another one," he wondered if this was the normal way to react.

"So I started doing some digging around. What I found about her was that she isn't very friendly and usually only helps with natural disasters making her interaction with others as minimal as possible"

"I guess that makes it more difficult for you to get the article done" he said wondering what type of excuse he could make if he needed to go help them.

"I wish it was only that, but that's only half of the story" she continued, "I started asking my contacts if they knew anything about others with abilities similar to those of Superman. Last week I was thinking of letting the story go for the time but then I received a very interesting package"

Parasite got hold of Kara and she was so upset she used her heat vision to half blind him.

"In the package came a letter with a story like none I had ever seen. Had it not been for the files accompanying it I would have thought it was a prank. In the letter the sender explained she used to work for someone very powerful who decided they wanted to have a Superman of their own"

Conner had no trouble looking shocked because he was indeed shocked. He didn't say anything not wanting to give anything away.

"Seven years ago she confirmed helping in the creation of a partial clone of Superman; Project Kr. A few weeks away from completing its physical development the clone escaped with the help of some sidekicks and since then has been under the protection of the League"

"That is hard to believe," he said wondering if she was trying to play him.

"So you are not admitting anything yet?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" he asked. He sensed Parasite absorb the life around it for more than a mile. It was back up and still hungry.

"Dr. Spencer explained in her letter she feared the clones powers were reawakening and with the lack of some his memories she believed he would not know how to control them. She believed I could reach to Superman and explain this to him. Of course I am not the Superman specialist I used to be. That's Clark's thing now"

"So you didn't come looking for him just because you thought he would spend yesterday on his own," Conner tried to remain calm. It seemed Superman and Supergirl were trying to keep the Parasite away from the population of Smallville.

"He doesn't make it easy to find him," she said raising an eyebrow at him; "you are still not budging, are you?"

"So did you ask him?" Conner asked her.

"I didn't have to, you see Dr. Spencer sent me in the package a picture of Project Kr, who according to her now goes by Superboy" and she dug through her purse before bringing out a picture of him while he was sleeping in his pod, "when I saw the picture I knew I had seen you before but I couldn't recall from where. Still it was clue enough that you were indeed out there and not kept in safe house by the League. Imagine my surprise when I saw you here playing the cousin role and then that blond girl came in"

"You played us," he said trying to remain calm.

"Only because you tried to play me," she said still calm, "the three of you"


	11. Chapter 11

Conner had stared at the woman before him speechless before the shock turned into an emotion he had been trying to evade. He clenched his fists hoping his slipping control wouldn't cause too much damage. Even when his cold stare connected with hers, she didn't flinch. She had seen that look before from the Man of Steel but never directed towards her. Then the house began to creak and groan. Her half empty cup of coffee started to shake before spiderlike webs cracks spread through the surface.

"You had your fun, so what now," he said before the plates and cups levitated from the table and were then placed in the sink.

"You aren't going to call the League?" she asked more curious that surprised.

He glared at her. Of course, the first thing that he thought was about calling the League and get someone to wipe her memory from this finding, but he could sense she was hiding something else.

"You are really different from them, aren't you?" she asked with a smirk, "you only play by the rules when they are looking, don't you?"

"Make your point" he knew the sooner he could dismiss her he could start working on getting things under control.

"I don't want you to tell them that I know," she said.

"Not happening," he said crossing his arms, at which Lois rolled her eyes.

"I saved the information somewhere only I can retrieve it. If you tell the League and they make me forget, it won't be long before I find it again. Once I realize that you heroes tampered with my memories I would publish it."

"I thought you were his friend" that's what really made him angry.

"This has nothing to do with that," she said with a frown, "I want you to keep it a secret until the time is right."

"Right for what?" he asked feeling like he was losing his patience. He didn't trust her, not after lying to them through the previous day.

She sighed, "you want to be a reporter, right?"

"That's beside the point" but found curious she would ask this.

"Here," she said before pulling out of her bag a simple disposable phone, " after those two are gone I will stay in contact with you."

"You still haven't told me what is going on?" he didn't take the phone and made sure to enjoy the bit of rage that emitted from her eyes.

"Some of the information in Dr. Spencer's letter worries me. I believe there is more to it."

"Then why not tell the League?" she was just an ordinary human after all.

"Call it a reporter's intuition," she said placing the cell phone on the table, "there is more to Cadmus than you know."

He gave her a skeptic look.

"I am a reporter, one of the best," she said with confidence, "Cadmus is bigger than you or the League thinks. It appeared out of nowhere and established bases all over the world but somehow always keeping under the radar. Then there is Dr. Spencer."

"What about her?" he asked.

"All the records of her existence; degrees, family, you name it. They are all fake," Lois said pulling him in, "Of the lab where she worked she was the only person to have an entirely false identity. When she disappeared, she did it completely. As if she never existed, don't you find that strange?"

He believed so but didn't voice it. He still didn't believe this was enough to suspect Dr. Spencer had an agenda even before becoming part of Cadmus. Then again, what did he know about her? She had been caring towards him, but what if she had another reason, one not so honorable, to help him.

"Are those two returning anytime soon?" she asked looking towards the door as if they might be back anytime.

Conner concentrated back on the field miles away. The Bio-Ship was arriving with Miss Martian and was helping them.

"Not long" he said before she stood up and walked to the door.

"Come," he followed closely trying to use his abilities to understand what she was after. It was reporters dream to publish something like but she was going to sit on it. He never tried to read a person before on purpose. He found something like mist surrounding her, hiding her emotions and thoughts from him. Lois Lane was not an open book. She walked to the trunk of her car and opened it. The place was a mess but a box stood out at top of everything, "Dr. Spencer sent you this" and she handed the box to him, "she said it would help you"

"What is it?" he asked.

"I asked someone I trusted, someone really smart, and they couldn't even tell what material it was made of" she removed the lid and sitting brightly in red in a black background the S, "he said we were nowhere near in technological advances to make it. As for what it does, we have no idea"

Conner pulled it out and stared at a full body black suit with red piping and the red S on the chest. He swore he would never wear tights, but the moment his fingers touched the material he sensed it was indeed something else, something meant for him. It connected with his powers, like a missing link and that was just by touching it.

"So?" she asked easily reading his expression.

"She made it for me," he said with a smile.

"But you see my point, right? Dr. Spencer and Cadmus are part of something bigger and if they get word that the Justice League has word of it they will make all the clues disappear just as Dr. Spencer did. This is proof that they have the knowledge on how to do it"

Conner nodded, "so you want me to help you by not telling them"

"And going to places I can't" she said admitting as far as her pride would let her that she, Lois Lane was not capable of doing everything she wanted.

"Alright," he said, "they are coming back"

Neither said anything as they went back inside and when Kara and Clark returned they found them going over Conner's unfinished article. Clark gave the Conner a questioning look before he shrugged. It was still a good chance for him to get to get some tips from Lois Lane. If he wasn't so worried about one of the best reporters in the world being in the known of their identities, he would have laughed.

It wasn't long before she and Clark drove back to metropolis. Kara begrudgingly thanked him for the meal and then she too left. It was until nighttime that he went back to the box and cellphone sitting on his bed. There was something very familiar about it and he thought it was because it was similar to the white solar suit he was made to wear years ago. As he went to test it out he realized it had to do with something else. A feeling he was starting to remember. He was centered and felt as if he could go anywhere. And then he was.

"No way," he couldn't help whispering before he started rising higher and higher. He didn't realize until then that his powers were so disconnected but the suit changed that. Now it was as natural as breathing and walking or in this case flying. He went as high as he could until Smallville was but a small spot of light. He stayed there for a while feeling complete. He finally recognized the feeling. It was the way he used to feel when Dr. Spencer took him out of his pot when he was a child. He flew around in the middle of the night enjoying that which he wished since he could remember. He forgot about the issue with Lois Lane, about finding Dr. Spencer, about helping Bart and everything else and just enjoyed himself.

He didn't come down, until the sun started to rise and even then he didn't want to come down but he knew he couldn't allow people to spot him flying about. As he had been descending, he noticed the kid from nights ago riding his bike towards the place where Superman and Supergirl had fought Parasite. Though he was still in a good mood, he was starting to feel like everyone around was just too curious.

Once back home he threw his civilian clothing over his new suit and then jogged towards the destruction zone. Even before he arrived he could already hear the kid.

"Journal of Simon Valentine, entry 989; yesterday my Simon Valentine patented Seismometer registered 2.0 to 2.6 in the Richter scale earthquakes close to Smallville."

Conner wanted to sigh but didn't since he didn't want to make a habit of it. He went from jogging to walking as he continued to listen to the kid.

"As there are no major tectonic plates or other natural events that would cause this type of earthquakes near Smallville I decided to find their source. I have taken into account their irregularity and range. From this, I have found the source was in the direction once again of the Kent farm" And then he went into detail of the craters and the large dead area he had found. Also, why he suspected it had been the place of a confrontation of sorts. Conner stood on the side not saying a word as he watched the boy take into consideration every single detail he could find. After a few minutes bored he coughed loudly so the boy would finally notice him.

"You!" and then the boy realized he was still recording, "end of entry 989." When he stopped recording, he stared at Conner with narrowed eyes. "what do you know about this?" he said as he pointed an accusatory finger at Conner.

"From listening to your rant it sounds like it was a sort of fight," he said looking around. Those two didn't hold back, which he guessed was necessary when it came to Parasite, "what do you think caused it?"

"Like you don't know," Simon said as he went to check another crater, " your house is the closest to the place, you had to notice something."

"I did," he said trying to learn more of what the kid knew. "I noticed a bit of shaking yesterday. But, I didn't think much about it" he tried to look thoughtful, " I thought you were snooping around but I guess now you have a real reason."

"I still think you had something to do with it," Simon said as he continued measuring the diameter and depth of each crater.

He decided to try to humor himself and sat on the ground. After a few minutes of reluctance, Simon began recording his findings again. Conner was doing something similar in his own way. He wondered just how far Parasite could use his abilities to steal the life of others. He spread his senses and found the bottom of Parasite's range. When it came to bacteria and animal life the field didn't go as deep, but plant and fungi were easier to drain and so the range was wider. In case they had to fight the creature again, it would be safer to do it on a place where there wasn't much greenery.

"Interesting" he saw Simon pull out a dead worm from the ground, and then began taking samples of the earth. Probably to check how far the damage went. Conner felt sorry for the kid because he already knew all the answers he was seeking. By the time, he tried to check the extent of the damage nature would have already done its job and restored as much of the taken life. He could already feel other organisms were trying take over the freed space.

"Is it true you are a college student?" Simon asked him with a skeptic look.

"Yeah," Conner said.

"What is your major?"

"Is this an interrogation?"

"No, I am just curious."

"Right," he said not bother thing to hid his disbelief. At the same time he wondered how much he should say, "I want to study social events in today's society. So I am leaning towards journalism but I am more interested in the reaction those events have on people."

The reactions, the way people behave before certain events; he already had a basic understanding, but society was always changing and moving on. The knowledge he was given during his creation was helpful but it was also outdated.

He stopped in mid thought when he realized he hadn't ever told anyone this before. Everyone just assumed he wanted to be the same as Clark, who wrote stories that moved people. He was more interested in the results though he did see the noble intent on informing people of what was happening around them. But it was an action created from those results that he believed were actually significant.

"So you are not a muscle head," Simon said looking slightly uncomfortable. It seemed Conner had taken him out of his comfort zone by making him realize he was smarter than Simon assumed he was.

Conner stood up with a smirk, "if you find something I would like to know. Like you said; this is happening very near where I live" and he needed to keep tabs on the kid.

888

The days passed and all he could do was find more about Lois Lane and practice with his honed abilities. Even though it seemed they had an agreement he couldn't trust her blindly. She was indeed a terrific reporter and her stories rang true and purposeful. Also, for a quite a few years she was close to his mentor to the point where there were rumors there was something between them. He wondered if she was tricking him into thinking she would indeed publish a story like that. He hoped it was just a rouse, but still he wouldn't take a chance.

After an afternoon of much thought, he decided he had to face this head on so he packed his bags and headed for metropolis.

888

The top reporter for the news blog website _Clarkcatropolis _had seen many things in his life, more than ordinary people could guess, but never a teenager waiting in front of his apartment door.

"Conner?" he asked the youth who stood with his bags before his door.

"Can we talk?" he asked feeling sorry for placing Clark in this situation. He wasn't going to leave him with many choices since he already brought his stuff with him.

Once inside the apartment he wondered how to start. The plan was laid in his mind but as he looked at Clark hurry to make space for him to sit (the man had almost no time to clean.) He wondered if he should try something else.

"Everything okay?" Clark asked him worried.

Conner looked around the room and thought for a moment and then spoke hoping he wasn't embarrassing himself, "I want you to teach me more about how to use my powers."

Clark looked shocked for a moment and then said, "I am not saying no, but I am not sure I will be of much help."

"I thought the same too," he said, "but I think I finally got a good hold of them. I think they might be more alike than we thought" and then his feet left the ground and he was floating.

"That's…"

"But it isn't all," he said before looking around for something that wouldn't be missed. He picked a disposable pen and then made it float before him " look" he said before he concentrated his sight on the pen. A moment later the carpet was on fire. Conner was stomping on the scorched spot until it was completely off, "sorry, I still can't…"

"Is alright," said his mentor with a laugh which made Conner's eyes widen, "now I see you were so worried. Is there something else I should know?"

"I am faster and stronger, though I think is just my tactile telekinesis acting around my own body"

"What do you mean?"

"I think my powers are more like yours than we thought" Conner said sitting down again, "but where is second nature to you for me it requires concentration. I mean, how do really your powers work?"

"I have met a few who had shared their ideas with me since I don't understand it fully myself" Clark admitted, "but someone from the League, the Atom theorized, though we had no way of testing, that my strength and flight was created by a barrier webbed within my own cellular structure as my flesh was just flesh and so was the blood when I allowed them take samples"

Conner thought about this. Was it possible that because he was only half Kryptonian that he lacked this second nature? Still, maybe he would reach through training the same abilities.

"My heat vision might be just an illusion…" he snapped his head up to look at his mentor staring at the scorched spot, "what exactly did you do?"

"I glared at the pen and…" he shook his head "I concentrated on what was before me, not just…"

Conner forgot this was supposed to be just an excuse to be in Metropolis so he could keep tabs on Lois Lane. They kept talking about what could be the engine behind their abilities well into the night until.

"Ehm… settle in," Superman said after receiving a distress call.

Conner could simply nod before his mentor left. He looked around the bachelor pad. It was a complete mess but he had to guess Superman didn't have much time for cleaning with his day job and being a hero. Interesting enough there was a space with a rather clean perimeter. As he got closer he realized this was where Clark worked. He knew _Clarkcatropolis_ had a headquarters but he guessed his mentor preferred his own space. Still he couldn't leave the rest of the space just like this. He took a deep breath to remind himself that he had done his fair share of training those past months and this should not be difficult at all. He got a sense for where everything was in the pad before getting to work.

About thirty minutes after Clark returned through the front door with some take out. The whole deal by the bay didn't take more than ten minutes but the take out he was brining from around the corner took about fifteen. He opened the door.

"Sorry!" he said surprised closing the door before checking the number on the door and realizing it was indeed his own place. He opened it again and this time he spotted Conner on a chair with a book.

"Hey" he said not looking away from his book, though simply to hide his smirk.

"You did this?"

"You said to settle in" he said putting his book on the coffee table Clark had completely forgotten existed, "is that from around the corner?" he said spotting the food.

"Yes," he said placing the food on the small table before looking around. Close to the small kitchen he spotted quite a few trash bags. He used his x-ray vision to check that everything was trash. He couldn't believe a teenager could be this through, especially when it came to cleaning.

"I haven't eaten this in ages," Conner said digging in before he noted his mentor was still looking around, "you okay?"

"Just surprised," he said before spotting on the kitchen counter a tin can filled with coins "this place wasn't even this clean when I moved in"

Conner shrugged starting to think he had gone too far. It really had been no issue for him.

Clark finally sat down to eat and turned the TV on where they watched the news as they ate. There was a short news piece of the gun traffickers Superman had just stopped.


	12. Chapter 12

Becoming Superboy 12

He woke up early and reached for the TV's control even though he could have easily just pulled it with his abilities. Some mornings he forgot he was different; well, more different than a few months ago. He sat on the sofa bed and turned on the TV. He listened to the news as he folded the blankets and then went to the kitchen to make something for breakfast. Sensing that his mentor had already left, probably for a mission, he made breakfast only for himself and then left something for him to eat later even though Clark really didn't need to eat. That actually was something he was glad he didn't inherit. After so many years eating M'ganns' food he didn't think he could go without at least one meal a day.

It was still early when he left the pad with his backpack over his shoulder. He had transferred to Metropolis' primary college and that was the end of the first week of the semester. It had taken him no time to get used to life in the big city with his mentor. Not that he saw him often. Most of the time when he was at home it was to work. It was different not seeing any of his friends during classes. He usually shared at least one or two with them. Most of the other students were also close to graduating and knew each other well. Here he was the new kid just like so many years ago. In a break between classes, he went to continue working on his article. After scrapping the original idea and starting anew, he finally felt like he was getting somewhere.

He sat working in one of the cubicles when a small knock made him stop.

"Sorry, do you have a highlighter I could borrow?" the girl, or better said woman in the cubicle next to his asked. He nodded before handing her the highlighter and then going back to work. He tried to concentrate again but could sense her watching him from the corner of her eye. She was pretty, he had to admit. Her eyes were bright blue and her hair a strawberry blond. He could sense she was curious about him, though he couldn't figure out why. He knew that thanks to his inability to age she probably thought he was a freshman.

After noticing the time, he packed his things.

"Thanks," she said handing the highlighter back to him. He just nodded and walked away towards the exit of the library. Here he spotted Jaime looking around awkwardly and in awe.

"Hey," he said with a nervous smile.

"How did you make it all the way here?" he asked wondering if they had access to the Zeta-beams again. It would make things a lot easier.

"Tim sort of hacked into the L's system," Jaime said before Cooner gave him a questioning look. Jaime looked even more awkward before whispering, " You know L, for League."

"Alright," he shook his head in disbelief before walking with the kid outside. He knew no one would think much of two youths walking about. Many came to the city just to check the college, " now why are you here?" he led them through a path seldom used.

"The Machine is almost finished," by machine he meant the one to travel in time.

"And you came all the way here to tell me?"

"Actually, this is also one of the colleges at top of my list," the kid was fast to continue. "Anyways, he said to meet at Star Labs here in Metropolis next Friday."

"Jaime, are you really up for this. I heard-"

"Everything is fine now," Jaime responded fast, " things are not perfect, but my family is safe and so are my friends. I can't ask for more." But, the shadows under his eyes said otherwise, "actually, I am sort of looking forward to this. I have been dealing with too much hocus pocus lately."

"If you can wait until my next class is over I can show you around," he offered hoping this would cheer Jaime.

"Maybe another time. I got to help my dad with some things," Jaime said before they said their goodbyes.

In the middle of class, he realized he was being watched once again by the blond from the library. This time she was even more evident, but he didn't pay her any mind. The teacher was a whole different story.

"Miss Luthor, I am aware this is not likely your favorite subject, but I would appreciate it if you at least kept your eyes in the front of the classroom." The teacher said before going back to his lecture, but y then half the class was looking at the blond. Luthor? It had to be a coincidence.

After class, he went directly to his motorcycle. He was actually invited to visit the headquarters for Clarkcatopolis and had well in mind to take advantage of the offer. He was putting his helmet on when he sensed her watching him again.

"Can I help you?" he asked taking off his helmet, "Miss Luthor?"

"Lori, call me Lori," she said fast and seemed to cringe a little at being called Luthor, which made him guess she was not close to her uncle.

"How can I help you Lori?" he asked keeping his tone even.

"Are you related to Clark Kent?" she said a small red tint coloring her cheeks.

"Maybe, are you related to Lex Luthor?" he sad crossing his arms. Even as Clark Kent his mentor was one of Luthor's more disliked people.

"He is my uncle, my mother's younger brother." She admitted looking deflated. He could sense she was getting ready to be rejected.

"Clark is my cousin," Conner said.

"I knew you couldn't look so much like him without reason," her chipper tone was back at seeing he wasn't in the defensive with her anymore.

"Is that all?" he said getting ready to leave again.

"Oh, no! I also wanted to ask if you were in the journalist program," she had noticed him in many of her classes. She guessed he had to be.

"Yes," he admitted wondering where she was going with this.

"Do you already have a partner?" she asked her excitement now trying to break free.

"For?" he asked not able to hide his confusion.

"Right, I forgot you are new," she didn't fail to notice his raised eyebrow, "sorry, what I meant is that it's sort of a tradition here. The class with Mr. Global, you have it, right?"

"Yes," though the first class with him wouldn't be until next week.

"Well, he has this final assignment which is to write an article with a partner, but not just any article. It gets sent to the main news publishers in the city for reviews. You need to get at least three out of five of the publishers to give you excellent reviews. Even if you finish the class and get your degree, no news publisher will hire you in metropolis if you don't pass that assignment."

"You are not serious," he thought it was an excellent opportunity to get your name out there. But, it could also mean repeating a whole semester if you had to retake the class and try again.

"Well, I heard things did change a little this year. Instead of five publishers it will be six. So we need to get four out of six."

"That makes things so much better," muttered Conner.

"Aren't you going to ask who is the sixth?" Lori asked ready to burst. She knew a juicy secret he didn't.

"Who?" he asked hoping it was not who he thought it was.

"Clarkcatropolis," she said with a smile.

"No," he said as he finally got on his motorcycle.

"Why not? With my resources and your connections we would have no problem getting that assignment done," she said standing beside him.

He didn't know how to tell her he didn't want anything to do with Lex Luthor, even if she seemed estranged from him.

"C'mon, everyone already has partners."

"So you came to me because I didn't know who you were."

"Well, sort of. Also, I am almost sure you must have as good instincts as your uncle."

"Cousin,"

"Right," she said blushing, "and I swear I don't dwell on any of that bad or strange stuff my uncle does. I rarely even see him during the holidays."

"I will think about it," he said before noting she looked as crestfallen as a kid who lost their pet, "what?" he could even sense her anguish.

"Everyone keeps saying that, and the moment I turn back they already got another partner."

Conner sighed, "fine."

"Huh?" she asked her eyes widening.

"I will be your partner," he said as an idea started to form, "you want to come?" He asked her and before she could ask he said, "I am going to Clarkcatropolis."

"Oh… Oh! Really?" she asked eyes even wider,

"Yeah, Cat Grant told Clark I could drop by any time I wanted so…" he was saying before she jumped on the back of the motorcycle.

"Okay," she wrapping her arms around him, "I am so ready."

A smirk had grown on his face before he drove them to a small building in the news area of the city. It wasn't a grand building like the Daily Plante's but it was nice and the sign of Clarkcatropolis outside was rather flashy.

"Wow," Lori said jumping off the motorcycle and looking up at the four story building. It was indeed a small operation compared to others, but the number of readers was growing every day.

There was a receptionist at a glass desk at the entrance. She was typing on a computer not bother to look up as they stood before her desk. She was a middle age woman with auburn hair and a thick pair of glasses.

"Excuse me," he said before the woman rolled her eyes and looked up.

The moment she spotted Conner her eyes widened, "you must be Conner." She was smiling at him quite excitedly, "my goodness you look just like him."

"Really?" he said before he heard Lori gave a little gasp at his small lie.

"And this is?" the woman turned to Lori lowering what Conner could now see were fake glasses.

"My friend Lori, she is also studying journalism. We are going to be working on a project together-" he started hoping it wasn't much trouble.

"Say no more dear," she said throwing them a wink.

Conner shuddered inside because in some way Lori was actually his cousin.

"Here are your visitor passes, Cat is on the top floor and you cousin is actually with her" she gave the passes which they hung around their necks.

"Clark Kent is here?" Lori said a little too loud before covering her mouth, "sorry, big fan."

"Big fans are a waste with the guy. He is more humble than an Amish" the woman said without a care before pointing at the stairs, right next to the out of service elevator.

As they climbed up and other down he started to believe, he wouldn't be visiting the place often. People would gawk at him, and even some women would stare at him as if he was a piece of meat. It was disturbing since he didn't look older than eighteen or nineteen, and that was pushing it.

"So is it true? Clark Kent is really like the traditional countryside nice guy?" Lori asked as they neared the top.

"I am no answering that" mainly because he could already hear them.

"Sorry, is just that when he writes he is so passionate about it, and I have never heard of him getting involve in some scandal so…" she didn't need to finish the sentence. It was well known Clark Kent was a honest to a good man, though Conner knew he was not perfect. Which actually seemed to be fine with his mentor. It made him feel more human.

They made it to the top floor which was covered with desk with no walls in between them. Most of those writing were young and seemed to be in a high mood. They only gave them small glances before they went back to chatting and writing. As they passed, Conner realized that even though the ambient was friendly, the news they wrote about were just like he imagined. Though young, they were purposeful. They wrote about politics, events in the city, events around the world that were not pretty, and how things really were.

"Conner!" he turned to see his mentor standing by a glass door to an office. Inside there were at least seven people, "Uhm, hi, Clark Kent" he said when he noticed Lori, who shook his hand back timidly.

"She is a friend from school," he said before his mentor could ask, "she is also going for journalism."

"Bring them in already Kent, we are not over" a woman behind a small glass desk said. Conner knew from a few pictures this was Cat Grant.

Clark shushed them in and had them sit on the side, "we are having an editorial meeting for some significant releases tomorrow. I believe it would be good for you to listen to it."

Conner and Lori had nodded before they watched the havoc that was Cat Grant and her editorial team. Everyone seemed to be all over the place with their sections. They office which was made of glass walls was covered in pieces and photos as they arranged the layout of the releases. Where people couldn't agree, Conner noted Clark would step in a find a way for them to come to some arrangements. Cat made them move by shouting and ordering them to speak. Clark made sure they didn't get stuck on disagreements for too long. It was an unusual team.

"Like good cop and bad cop," he heard Lori whisper before both laughed quietly.

"I had enough!" Cat Grant said standing, "we are taking a break so everyone get something to eat, but not you Kent. I want to meet those two" her demanding tone changed to that of purring cat.

"Thank you for the invitation Ms. Grant. So far, it has been very informative."

"Kent's cousin indeed," she chuckled. The office was almost empty as Cat walked up to them, "Clark tells me you and I image your friend here want to be journalists. How far are you?"

"Is our last semester," Lori said fast, "we are taking Mr. Global's course this semester."

"That old bastard is still teaching?" Cat grimaced before turning to Clark. "Can you believe that fossil is still- Oh I forgot, you actually did well in his class," Then she turned back to them, "I am glad you two came in. We are always up to hearing the voice of the younger generation. Not that we are old, right Clark? Yeah, just nod your lovely face and take me for granted. Anyways, how do you feel about the new layout. Does it grab your attention or what?" she asked rather proud.

They didn't trust their voice before the hyperactive woman, so they nooded. But, it was a sincere nod because the new layout was indeed excellent, even though it just glued to the glass wall.

"This is a sign," sang Cat with glee before turning to Clark, "Kent, go get us something to eat. I want to talk to these two a little more before the rest came back."

"I think not Cat," his mentor said not moving an inch.

"Oh c'mon! I am not going to corrupt them. They are college students. They could probably teach me a thing or two" she said giving them a curious look.

"Cat," Clark said in a warning tone.

"Fine, I will filter like you told me," she said rolling her eyes.

"Is called thinking before speaking," his mentor gave them a 'good luck' smile before leaving them.

"He is such a stick in the mud," Cat sighed sitting across from them, "so, are you two like going out?"

"No," Conner said keeping his calm. He knew Cat as a reporter just wanted to get a reaction from him, "we will be working together on the project for Mr. Global's class."

"Are you sure you aren't his clone or something like that?" she said going back to her wall and moving a few things that Conner was sure people were going to fight over.

"Excuse me?" he asked trying to keep his tone calm.

"You Kents are so reserved," sighed Cat, "you know that can be quite the turn off."

"Good," Conner said without thinking before Cat looked at him surprised.

"Well, aren't you something else. Serious but with a temper" she closed on him like a jungle feline to his prey.

"We all have tempers," Conner told her, "I am sure you have seen Clark's."

"Oh, I have," she said smiling at them, and then at Lori, "it is quite a sight. It was because of him that I quit The Daily Planet. You should have seen the way he spoke to Morgan Edge. Look at my skin! I get goosebumps just thinking about it." And she told them what he said to no other than Mr. Edge, the new owner of the now Planet Global Network and owner of Galaxy Broadcasting Systems

"…_Sanctimonious, insignificant the truth? You want to have a conversation about the truth, Mr. Edge? The Truth is that somewhere along the way, the business of news became the news. Growing up in Smallville, I believed that journalism was an ideal, as worthy and important as being a cop, a fireman- a teacher or a doctor. I was taught to believe you could use words to change the course of rivers—that even the darkest secrets would fall under harsh light of the sun. But facts have been replaced by opinions. Information has been replaced by entertainment. Reporters have become stenographers. I can't be the only one who is sick at the thought of what passes for the news today. I am not the only one who believes in the power of the press—the fact that we need to stand up for the truth. For justice. And yeah—I am not ashamed to say- the American way!"_

"He said that Morgan Edge," Lori said in awe, "the Morgan Edge."

"The only and only," Cat said with a smile, "then he asked who was leaving with him and guess who was the only one to follow him out that building."

Conner had been aware of this. He saw Cat Grant in a new light. She might have been a gossip columnist, and still sort of was, but she had more heart than many of the people still in the Daily Planet.

"It was much more embarrassing than how she makes it sound" Clark returned with some food from the restaurant across the street, "and how many times are you going to tell that story?"

"As many times as I like so deal with it Mr. Kent," she said with a smirk, "I will even put that in my memoirs so it will be carved forever in history."

Clark shook his head with a smile before handing the youths some Tai food. After eating the team returned and they finished the last touches on the new layout of the website. The sun was setting by the time they handed everything to the members who managed the site.

"Not so fast Kent, we need to talk about something else," Cat said as they were getting ready to leave. She pointed the Conner and Lori, "you two won't say a word from you hear here, got it?"

the cheerful and hyperactive woman was replaced by a harsh and severe newswoman,

"Your friend with the cape, has he told you anything about this?" She used turned the monitor of her laptop around to show a not so good picture of Superman flying at night time with another figure.

"What is that supposed to be?" Clark asked though he and Conner already knew.

"You tell me," Cat said crossing her arms, "the Daily Planet beat us to Supergirl. We can't let that happen again. This is clearly another one."

"Wait, you mean to say there is another like Superman?" Lori asked before remembering they were only guest and then covering her mouth again.

"It could another Leaguer," Clark told her, "one we haven't seen before. It isn't rare for the League to take in young heroes to teach them."

"True, but look at this," she said switching the image on the computer. A much clearer pictured showed and they saw the red S, "definitely one of his. Clark, this could be just the beginning. What if Superman is actually a Superdad? Superdog, Supergirl, Superlad"

"Wouldn't Superboy be better?" Conner peeped.

"Conner," his mentor gave him a warning look. They were treading on dangerous waters.

"Sorry," he said before closing his mouth.

"Superboy does sound better," Cat said before writing it on a sticky note and then placing it on her small board. Then, she turned to Clark "okay, maybe not a Superdad, but at least someone related to him. Has he said anything?"

"No," Clark sighed, mostly in defeat, "but I will ask next time I see him."

"Great!" she said with a big smile, " but make sure is soon. We don't want Lane beating us to this one."

"Of course," Clark actually agreed on that point.


	13. Chapter 13

Conner couldn't believe what they were doing at that time. He kept looking at Clark as he settled at his desk back home with a cup of hot coffee.

"Okay, how do you want to go about this?" his mentor asked opening a blank document and typed 'The Arrival of Superboy.'

"Can't you just tell them I am your cousin?" Conner asked. It would make things so much easier if they thought they were related.

"If Luthor releases what you are it could diminish your credibility," Clark told him turning his head to see the worried kid bite his lip.

"So I guess telling them that I am from a planet that used to be near Krypton is out of the question," Conner said leaning forwards.

"Very," Clark laughed, "but you shouldn't be afraid of telling them what you are. No one has a saying under which circumstances they are born."

"Or made" Conner sighed before pulling a chair to sit near his mentor.

"Where do you want to start?" Clark asked him.

"I don't know," Conner said running hand through his already messy hair, "you are the reporter."

_A few nights ago I heard of another hero accompanying Superman. I didn't think this strange for we are talking about Superman. Then someone showed me a picture of the new hero and I found myself curious when I saw the S on the chest of who seemed to be a teenage boy. With the appearance of Supergirl, I had no doubt this might be another member of Superman's family. Maybe another cousin, a younger brother or why not even his son. Once my chance to finally speak to him arrived he seemed surprised at my assumption, though he would say no more. Instead, he called for the boy and a few moments later the youth came in a black body suit with red markings._

_He was introduced to me as Superboy and the tale he told was one I never imagined outside science fiction books. The boy was not a brother or cousin to the Last Man of Krypton, for he still retains the title. The teenage boy admitted to being only partially Kryptonian, the rest human. Though as sensing my questioning look towards Superman he was fast to clear he was not his son. The boy explained, and he explained many times as I could not wrap my mind around the idea that he was made, not born; a partial clone._

_Made by whom? He would not tell me. But, he admitted they were not the sort of folk you wanted to be enemies with. They, someone with more resources that they should be allowed, wanted a Superman of their own under the pretext that someone must be capable of taking down Superman if he became a threat. Superboy looked very uncomfortable at this revelation, for then I noticed the boy and man resembled each other incredibly. It would not be hard to imagine the kid growing to look like the man. He explained that while in the last stages of his development a group of young heroes broke into the lab that had been his whole world since he could remember. They broke him free of the building and presented him to the Justice League and to Superman._

_Now, I will pause here to let the idea sink in. No, he is not in the traditional sense related to Superman, though the man treated the boy like a younger brother. I emphasize on the phrase traditional sense because there is very little that remains traditional in our times, in any sense. Superman admitted then to be concerned when the young man was brought to him. He admitted not having any experience of how to look after kids, and even less teenagers. As of how these two handled it, they only admitted having a lot of help from the rest of the League._

"What do you think until now?" Clark asked him before taking a drink from his coffee.

"Is it going to be much more?" he asked already feeling exposed. Though the word clone had not been used once, he still felt people would not see beyond that or that he was created to take their long time hero down.

888

The first ring he imagined it was someone's cell phone. Everyone started checking their phones. By the third ring, they were looking at him. Then he realized it was the cell phone he always carried with him, but never rang until then. He left the classroom to answer what he imagined was a very serious call. He allowed it to ring one more time before listening to her demands.

"I am not doing that," he said with finality after listening for a minute.

"We had a deal," Lois said as she chewed on the end of her pen.

"To help you know more about Cadmus, not help you with your stories," Conner said wondering if there was a mole at Clarkcatropolis. How did she know Clark was writing his story? She was demanding an interview with him.

"I could always publish an even bigger story, you know? The one about-" she started before Conner cut her off.

"You are lying and you know it. If you don't have something related to Cadmus, I am hanging up," he said hoping he was right.

"You are such a spoilsport. This isn't over," she said before she hung up.

888

"Why are we doing this again?" Conner asked as they walked towards a place called the Bagle Palace on a Sunday, the first weekend of the semester. The place was supposed to have about fifty different choices of Bagels, which would be quite a sight. What actually bothered him was who they were going to meet.

"Because I promised Lois that we would try to at least remain friends," Clark told the youth.

"What about, well you know," Conner hated to point at the elephant in the room, but he had to.

"She has a boyfriend," Clark told him as plainly as if he was telling him it seemed it was going to rain.

"What?" he stopped and asked a few steps away from the door, "and you knew?"

"They have been together for about a year. I have known her for much longer, and never said a word so…" he didn't think he had right to complain.

"So you are just going to give up? You know if you told her-" then he would be off the hook.

"Don't even go there. She would never forgive me for hiding something so big from her. And, I never said I was giving up," but before Conner could ask what he meant by that someone shouted.

"Clark!" he turned to see a red-headed young man walking towards them with a big grin.

"Hey Jimmy," Clark said with a smile.

"Hey, and you must be Conner," Jimmy said stretching his hand to him, "Jimmy Olsen, photographer to the Daily Planet."

He already knew that. It was hard not to find out when most of the pictures of Superman in the past were from him.

"Lois said to get ahead," Jimmy said shaking his head in disbelief, "that woman really doesn't know how to give a story a break."

"Something big?" Clark asked as they went in.

"You know she would kill me if I tell you, not that she would tell me anything lately," Jimmy said leading them to a four-set table.

"Must be big then," Clark said opening the menu, not a bit bothered.

"So is true, you got a big story coming," Jimmy said wide eyed.

"Now, how would she know that?" Clark said putting the menu down.

"I don't know," Jimmy said not able to meet his eyes, but Clark didn't push him.

"She has a mole in Clarkcatropolis, doesn't she?" and before Clark could ask he said, "It has to be. The question now is just how much does she knows?"

"I just messed things up, didn't I?" Jimmy said unable to ignore how serious they both looked.

"This is Lois we are talking about," Clark said smiling as he picked the menu again, "I would be more surprised if she didn't have something like this in her sleeve."

Conner picked his own menu but glared more than stared. He couldn't believe his mentor was letting something so deceitful slide. He was going to find that mole, or at least tell Cat about it so she could find who it was. Then he remembered the other person who had been in the room with them. His mentor gave him a side glance when he realized this. He too had thought of it.

"I heard the corn one is great," Jimmy said with a smirk.

"Oh, how could I miss it," Clark said before ordering just that to humor his friend.

Conner ordered a mix of seeds and something else he wasn't sure if it was a vegetable or fruit. He wasn't in the mood to humor anyone.

"I just love this place," Lois said walking in and walking towards their table.

This did not improve his mood. Still, he kept his calm and greeted her like the rest. Clark didn't say a word of what they had talked about. He leaned back and listened in and out on their small talk. He concentrated on their heart rates, and those emotions emitting from them like waves. There was nervousness, happiness, suspicion, and sincere gladness. There was also deceit, fear, and some jealousy too.

"Can I still expect to see your article sometime soon?" he turned to Lois.

"Clark is checking it first," Conner slipped a small lie; he was almost done but hadn't shown it to his mentor yet. He wanted to bother her for spying on them.

"I have my hands tied at this time, but he will get it to you as soon as I am done," Clark told her playing along.

"Is that so? Working on anything important?" she probed.

"Maybe, what about you?" Clark said after taking a drink from his coffee.

"Jimmy?" Lois turned to the paling photographer.

"I said nothing," he said raising his hands.

"The thing is Lois," Clark started with his usual gentle and friendly smile, "you aren't the only one with sources."

"You are just full of secrets, aren't you Smallville?" Muttered Lois before ordering though the waitress seemed to already what she wanted, "which reminds me; nothing to report of the League's New Year's celebration?"

"Only that they banned mistletoes and cell phones with cameras," he said picking the menu again though he wasn't done with his first order.

"Too bad they aren't really together. That would be a real super couple" Jimmy said before they stared at him incredulously.

"Oh, please Jimmy, don't tell me you are one of them," Clark said with a look between appalled and self-conscious. Last year someone had leaked a picture of him and Wonder Woman sharing one small kiss under a mistletoe and even after a whole year some people wouldn't let the subject drop.

"He is," Lois said shaking her head, "sad, really sad."

"Hey! Okay, maybe not Wonder Woman, but I am sure he must have a super girlfriend or maybe two. He is Superman," Jimmy said before elbowing Conner, "right?"

Conner followed the example of his mentor and his behind the menu, but merely to hide with grin.

"I don't know about super girlfriends, but he does have super-hearing, you see?" Clark said.

"You-you don't think he heard me, do you?" Jimmy said paling at the thought.

"Who knows," Lois said with a smirk, "he is Superman" and then they laughed as Jimmy started looking around for any sign of the Man of Steel.

Then they went to chatting as before. Conner had worked very hard not to choke with Lois last words. How closely would wave what she knew to their faces? If things kept going like this his mentor would catch on soon enough.

"So, do you already know what you are going write for Mr. Global's class?" his mentor asked him noticing he had withdrawn from the rest.

"Just tell him you are related to this guy and that will guarantee you at least a B. Which will be more than what most of your class will get," Lois said giving Clark a side glance.

"Not yet," Conner had barely given it though since he hadn't talked to Lori since he dropped her off at the school campus after their visit to Clarkcatropolis.

"Do you at least have a partner?" Lois asked.

"He does, Lori Luthor," Clark said calmly.

"Luthor?" Jimmy said with wide eyes.

"Lena's daughter," Clark said still not making a big deal of it.

"Oh, well I didn't see that coming," Lois said, but she didn't make a big deal of it either.

"You knew?" Conner asked Clark.

"We are reporters, but it didn't take us anytime to find that Lena and Lori are nothing like Lex. The egomaniacal gene is in Lex's side" Lois said but sensed something in her words rubbed Conner the wrong way.

888

It was a bit after midday by the time they made it back to the apartment.

"It went well, didn't it?" Clark said as he hung his jacket by the door.

"Define well. We learned that Lois Lane, the star reporter for the Daily Planet, is after your story" Conner said as he walked to the window, gave one glance and then walked back.

"Actually, about that," he said before showing him a message he had gotten a few hours ago from Cat.

_Looks great, will be out by 1:00 pm_

"So soon?" Conner said stepping back.

"Lois Lane is after the story, remember?" Clark said.

"Right, right," but he went into a pacing frenzy. He checked the time every few seconds.

It was only a few minutes of his pacing before Clark had enough.

"We are going," he said looking out the wide panoramic window.

"What? It is still daylight," he only accompanied at night.

"People have to get used to seeing you, we are no bats, remember?" this part he said it proudly.

Right, this was also part of what he wanted. He didn't want to go only on undercover missions; he wanted to be out there helping any time he was needed. It didn't matter if it was day or night.

A few minutes after they were flying among the skyscrapers, but it wasn't enough to distract him from the reactions of the people in the city. The city had fallen into silence as they read the article before _Clarkcatropolis_ started a live feed.

"_Welcome seekers of the truth. You are now tuned to a very special live feed from Clarkcatropolis. As usual Clark isn't here, but boy the news he brings makeup for that! You heard it here first friends, we got a new hero in our city; Superboy."_

He could hear Cat's voice coming from thousands of screens. He stopped in midair.

"_Not a survivor from Krypton or Superman's Super-baby, but something so much more interesting, don't you think?"_

"There is robbery down on fifth," Superman said before they started moving again. They went to the robbery now turned car chase, "all yours."

"But," Conner looked down but couldn't complain anymore. Someone watching the feed on their phone and wearing headphone at the same time was about to cross the street. They only bothered to glance at the walk sing without bothering to check the sides. He swooped in to stand before the racing car. He extended his hand concentrated on the engine before killing it. The car screeched as it lost. But, as soon as he noticed the issue he focused on the whole car and brought it to a stop as slow as possible without hurting those inside or the bystanders. It stopped a step from him.

The robber who had not been listening to the live broadcast had no idea who he was so they pointed their guns at him and shot. The small projectiles stopped dead in the air a few inches away from him.

"What the hell!" shouted one of the robbers as his gun came undone in his hands.

"Step out of the vehicle and surrender," Conner called but the robbers were too shocked to understand. Thankfully the patrols had finally made it to the scene and were fast to bring them out of the car. Seeing that everything was under control he flew up where Superman was watching him with a raised eyebrow.

"I think you forgot something," Superman said before Conner looked down. The man that had almost been run over because of his distraction was recording them in his phone. The man waved at him as he shouted his thanks. Conner waved faintly before frying the phone's memory and then leaving the scene as soon as possible.

As they flew towards another scene, he continued to hear Cat's broadcast.

"_What did I tell you folks? We already got one of our wonderful subscribers sent us his first-row seat view of Superboy."_

"_He fried my phone, but it was still cool how he stopped that car!"_

"_Too bad the kid is camera shy. Take that as a warning and try to take pics of him as discreetly as possible and send it __to __us. We want to see him too!"_

"No need to be shy," Superman laughed right behind him as they were spotted by bystanders who waved at them and hid their phones at the same time.

888

He looked at himself in the mirror. He put on the glasses Clark gave him and then took them off. That was not going to work.

"Is not just about the glasses," Clark said as he buttoned his loose shirt. When he used to work at the Daily Planet, he used to brush his hair to the side, but now since he worked mostly from home he allowed it to rein wildly.

"I know, is just…" Conner was wearing a dark and massive jacket, and also a loose shirt underneath also to hide his toned body. He kept his baggy cargo pants and boots. Underneath the whole thing, he wore his black suit.

"You still think someone is going to recognize you. I have been there. But people don't know you that well as Superboy, well, besides being a phone murderer."

"Are they ever going to let that go?" Conner sighed brushing his hair. He had allowed it to grow those past few months until they became wavy locks which he brushed back to an orderly fashion. It looked shorter brushed back.

"I hope not, it would save you a lot of trouble. But because they don't know you that well you can draw a firm line between Superboy and Conner." Clark drew a line in the air, "how you behave as Conner must be entirely different from how you behave as Superboy."

"I know," these were things they had been talking about since he went to live in Metropolis. He put the glasses back on which dulled the blue of his eyes. He was thankful he had used his first week of school to practice his facial expression. As his mentor told him, he had to keep an open and friendly expression when people saw him. As Conner Kent, he had to be withdrawn and unapproachable. As Conner Kent, he actually didn't have much trouble. He was not an open person by nature.

"Don't over think it," Clark told him, "you should hurry along. Mr. Global won't let you in if you are late."

888

He arrived with minutes to spare to the large classroom where Mr. Global would give his class.

"Over here," he saw Lori waving at him. All the seats around her were empty. He reminded himself that Clark didn't think her suspicious. He sat next to her with a nod, "did you meet him?"

"Who?" He asked as he took out his notebook and pen, though he left the book inside. He read the whole thing two weeks earlier.

"Superboy, I mean your cousin knows him so I thought you-" Lori whispered to him.

"I don't," Conner said not meeting her eyes.

"Oh, that's a shame," she said turning back to stare at the front of the class.

Conner wanted to sigh.

"We live in such a wonderful age, don't you think?" she whispered before he noted she was reading through Clark's article again. Then a frown appeared on her face, "who do you think had him made?"

"No idea,"

"I am glad he is a good guy. I mean, Superman is a really nice guy even if some people are too damn self-centered to see it, but one day he is going to be gone. We will have grown spoiled by then,"

"When you say it like that, you actually sound like you know who from his speech a few years back."

"Do you agree with him? Is it wrong to trust someone that much?"

"Superman, Superboy will be gone someday, but by then I don't think we would have grown spoiled. More heroes are emerging and I am sure they will too in the future."

"Do you think they ever get scared? I mean this guy is probably as strong as Superman, so why would he? But, well everyone is afraid of something, right?"

But before Conner could find an answer an old man entered the classroom. Immediately everyone became quiet."

"I see some of you are here again," the old man said with a raspy smoker's voice, "let's see how you fare this year."

Multiple gulps were heard through the classroom.


	14. Chapter 14

Becoming Superboy 14

People got out of their cars as fast as they could, and they ran away from the metallic monstrosity which advanced down the long bridge. The creature though at first seemed to be a simply a robot it turned out to be something else. As it advanced it ate more of the vehicles and grew with them until it was as tall as a ten floors building. Superboy landed on the head of the giant robot created out of scraps of metal and gripped the head tightly and then pulled it, but the creature was still moving. He crushed the head with his TK, but the creature still moved, and it seemed ready to regenerate a new head.

"HELP!" a family was trapped in their car be the other two cars by their sides. They were unable to get out of the terrifying path of the creature. Superboy extended his senses and ripped the top off the car before the family scrambled away.

Okay, besides the giant metallic monster, everything seemed to be okay. It was the first time he was handling something like this on his own. Car chases, robberies, accidents he had gained enough experienced with since he arrived at Metropolis. A super-powered being was new to him in this scene. Still he didn't think he was doing half bad as he used his powers to rip out one of its metallic legs and made it fall, stopping effectively its advances until it re-grew a new leg. After hitting it on the back, he placed his hands on his armored back and used his senses to get an idea of the makings of the creature.

It was not of Earth, and it was considerably young. He immediately felt bad for what he was to do next, but there was no other choice. He peeled layer after layer of the metal until he reached the center of its chest. Inside he found a creature made out of mercury like substance. He created a spherical barrier around it and pulled it out of the scrap. The immense metallic body stopped moving immediately.

"Superboy to Watchtower" he called as he brought the creature out of reach of any more metal, "I have a creature from another planet that feeds on metal."

"We are sending one of the lanterns over," Kaldur responded back, "good job Superboy."

After giving what seemed to be a runaway toddler to the lanterns to return to its planet Conner, went back to the city and the scene of the fight. Authorities were already at the scene and trying to remove the robot out of the way to get the traffic moving again but were having trouble. He had tried to evade as many interactions with civilians and authorities as possible, but he knew he had to face them at some point. He landed next to the creature surprising everyone.

"Need some help?" he asked with a friendly smile as he placed his hand on the broken machine.

"Y-yes," said one of the officers before he levitated the machine up.

"Where would you like it?" he asked.

"We were going to bring it to STAR labs," one of the workers at charge of taking the creature away said.

"STAR labs it is," he said retaining his smile, "Thank you all for your work" and then he flew off before they could see his reddening face. Superman said always to make sure to thank them, but it felt so awkward.

It seemed STAR Labs was too used to this, or were already informed of his arrival because by then a large platform was already waiting for him to deposit the remains of the creature.

"You must be Superboy," one of the scientists said stretching her hand, "Dr. Valerie Perez. I guess you will also be bringing us a few gifts now and then."

"Nice to meet you Dr. Perez, I hope not too often. This guy was just lost" and he went ahead to explain what type of creature it was and what it had left behind. There wasn't much they could discover from the shell, but maybe the idea of how living beings could connect better to metal, if made of a metallic substance themselves. Still, STAR Labs never missed a chance to investigate something new, so they went ahead to dissect the metallic body.

"Your friends have brought all their materials for tomorrow. I am curious to see if it will work. Time travel has been a dream in the scientific community for so long; we were no longer consider it possible until Kid Flash brought his theories to us."

"I hope we don't disappoint, this also very important to us," Superboy said.

"I bet, will see you tomorrow Superboy," and then the doctor left him to his thoughts. The next day they would finally make the dreaded trip to Bart's future. He was excited about time traveling, but nonetheless he knew the future timeline they were visiting was not going to be a good one.

Only after they had pulled the shell into the building did he leave.

"Five minutes late Mr. Kent," one of his teachers said as he tried to sneak into the classroom, "don't make this a habit because next time I am locking the door."

Conner apologized before going to his usual place next to Lori. It was almost the end of that week where everyone spoke of Superboy. He hoped a new topic would sprout soon. After class, he and Lori went to the library to finally speak about their topic for Mr. Global's class. He had been so busy that week as if every delinquent wanted to get captured by the new kid that he barely had time to speak to her.

"We have to do something hero related," She told him, "we can't miss the mark with that one."

"I would rather not," Conner said with a frown.

"Says the guy that is going to get an article published either at the Daily Planet or Clarkcatropolis. C'mon Conner, you probably know some of those guys. If we could just get one interview, we will have it made."

Of course, he knew quite a few, but most of them preferred to have their privacy remain private.

"If we could only get an interview with Superboy," she sighed longingly. "I could become the next Lois Lane," and then she realized what she said, "sorry, did I really say that aloud."

"I heard nothing," he said trying to hold his laughter. He had found over the past few days that Lori had the tendency always to say what she thought, which was good for a honest reporter but it could be awkward from time to time.

"Or maybe another young hero," she continued giving Conner a thankful smile for ignoring her slip. "The Blue Beetle, Robin, and Kid Flash haven't been seen near the League as of late. I think something might be going on with them."

She said she depended on his instincts, but he wished he could tell her she was probably as good as Lois Lane on sniffing a juicy story.

"That's it!" She shouted before everyone in the library glared their way, "sorry…" she sat back down, "I mean, we could do something related to the young heroes. Do they also go to school? Do they hang out together when they are not saving the day? Do they have a rite of passage in the League, so they are no longer considered apprentices? And how does one of them go from the title 'kid' 'boy' or 'robin' to something more adult-like? Oh! Do they have inside love quarrels?"

Conner could answer many of those questions but of course, he didn't say a word. Instead, he wrote down all that she said. He was starting to see a good article in the making, but the question remained if any of his friends would go ahead with the interview.

"Give me the weekend to see what I can do," he said after a moment of silence. When Lori didn't answer, he turned to see her almost to the point of shedding tears. "Are you okay?" he asked worried, since he had no idea of how to console women when they cried.

"Yeah," she said breaking a smile, "I am just very happy you accepted to be my partner on this."

"No problem," he said standing before offering her a hand, "let's get going, class will start soon." He feared their teacher would indeed start locking the doors if they didn't make it in time.

By the time the last class was over he could no longer concentrate on what was being said. The next day he would be leaving on a trip across time. He had asked Clark that if they didn't come back by the beginning of next week to give the teachers some excuse. He hoped it didn't take long. Lori was also counting on him.

"Please tell me you don't have plans for tonight," he stopped walking towards his motorcycle when he noticed Lori was walking just behind him. "I was hoping we could celebrate the end of another week."

His expression must have said it all because she looked crestfallen a few moment later.

"You probably got plans of your own already, sorry,"

"I don't," he was fast to say. Well, he did have plans for the next day, "is just that I don't know this city so well."

"Is nowhere dangerous," she said, her smile returning, "is a club, just some dancing and if you want I can buy you a drink or two."

In actuality, he had been to a few clubs with his teammates back in the old days when he still dated M'gann. He was the kind just to sit and watch while everyone had fun.

"Only for a while," he said, "and I don't drink."

"Didn't think so," she said with a smile, "let me go home get changed, and I will meet you here in thirty. You are driving us since I don't plan to be the designated driver tonight."

"I think I am starting to see your true colors Ms. Luthor," he said with a smirk before Lori punched him playfully on the arm.

"Ouch," she said rubbing her knuckled, "get going Kent, we have to make this night last."

He went home to drop his backpack and get changed. Now, what should he wear? He hadn't gone out in a very long time and wasn't sure what those his age-group wore when going out. He was still thinking over his available wardrobe when he opened the door to the flat and met with an interesting sight.

"Conner!" Cat Grant threw her arms around him as soon as he stepped in, "you are just in time!" and then she promptly shoved a cool beer on his hands.

" For what?" he recognized a few faces from Clarkcatropolis.

"To celebrate we are the best news blog out there of course! Let's toast for Supey-boy!" shouted Cat before everyone shouted in agreement.

"We are so going to get kicked out of the building," he muttered as the music was turned up.

"We need a bigger place," Clark said walking up to him, "they were all waiting on the door by the time I got here, and now you know how Cat can be."

"I can't stay. Lori and I… as friends of course, we are going to a club."

"Bring her here!" Cat, somehow was able to hear him, "this is going to be much better than any stinking club with cheap liquor and promises of false love." She seemed lost in memories for a moment, but it was a short one, "c'mon Conner, don't tell me you wouldn't prefer to be with us?"

"You can choose not to answer," Clark said before Cat placed her cold beer against his face, "Hey!"

"Not so gentlemanly after a few drinks, are you?" she said before she glared at Conner, "I am not playing nice anymore Conner, you and Lori are joining us."

"O-okay," he said before leaving the flat to call her. This was not how he imagined he would spend his evening.

When he went to pick her up, Lori seemed more than okay to spend their night out at his place with the rest of the Clarkcatropolis crew.

"Oh my gosh! Is Lois Lane!" Lori all but fainted when she spotted Lois standing next to Clark, "what should I do? Conner?"

"Say hi?" he said before towards them. Lori followed with a big grin and ready to burst in flames.

"Conner and you must be Lori" Lois tried not to shout over the loud music, "nice to meet you."

"Sa-same here!" but Lori didn't care. She was meeting one of her idols, "Oh my gosh, I don't even know where to start. I mean you are Lois Lane!"

"Well-" she started before Lori saw someone else.

"Jonathan Carroll?" she asked the blond man standing next to Lois.

"Glad I am not outshined by these two," the handsome man said.

Conner hadn't recognized him for a moment, but there was no doubt about it. This was the top tv news reported for Galaxy. But there was more to it. He didn't miss how Carroll wrapped an arm around Lois's hip.

"I will bring us some more drinks," Clark said before leaving the painful scene.

"You kids know already what you will be doing for Mr. Global's class?" Lois asked them.

"Global's?" Jonathan looked worried for a moment before remembering he was no longer a student.

"Well, we have been talking about-" Lori started readily to show them their worth.

"Is a secret," Conner interfered, "you know how it is Ms. Lane."

"Of course," she said with a smirk, "good thinking Conner. Couldn't have expected else from a Kent"

"Oh," Lori realized what she had almost done. A reporter also had to be careful about not losing the story. It didn't matter if it was a classmate or someone you admired, you had to keep a lid on things.

"Don't worry," Conner whispered to her as Clark returned with a few bottles and Cat Grant.

"Lois," Cat said as if she was facing her rival, which was sort of true. She knew Lois wouldn't miss the chance to pull Clark back to the Daily Planet, which would take their blog down a good notch.

"Cat," Lois said carelessly to get under Cat's nerves.

Cat had glared at her for a moment before the DJ changed the tune.

"Oh Clark! I love that song! Dance with me, please. I know you can move," but she was already pulling him away before he could decline.

"That I have to see," Lois said with a not very friendly smirk.

Conner and Lori looked at each other surprised at what they had stumbled upon before they started laughing.

"So I am not the only one who saw that," Jonathan said a little baffled, "let's go. This should be interesting."

When they got to what used to be their living room, now turned dance floor, Conner scrambled to get his phone out. He couldn't believe what he was seeing and neither could those around them.

"Wow," was all Lori could say for a moment, "you better send me that."

"Well, who knew? He can move," Jonathan said before Lois took hold of his wrist, "I am not the dan-"

But it was too late; Lois had already pulled him to the dance floor.

"Please, tell me you don't want to dance," Conner said taking one step away from Lori.

"Not the dancing type actually," unless I had a few more drinks, "and this is interesting. You think we could write a paper on this?"

"The Secret Life of Reporters?" Conner asked taking a sip from the beer Clark had given him, not that alcohol could affect him, "nah, I think we can do better than that."

When they realized they wouldn't be leaving the dance floor anytime soon the two of them decided to leave the party turned rave.

"Are you okay to drive?" Lori asked him, but she was already putting the helmet on.

"You can trust me on that," he said before they drove away from the flats and towards the club Lori wanted them initially to visit.

They somehow, on a Friday night, managed to get a small boot by the dance floor. Neither one felt like dancing but just talked and watched the people around them. They played a game where they had to make up a story of every person they saw around them.

"Okay, that girl there," Lori said trying not to be too obvious.

"Hmm," Conner noted the girl didn't fit with most of those in the club. The place was bright and colorful with electronic music. The girl was more of a Goth with long black hair, pale skin, and dark makeup and clothes.

"She is the princess of a colorful kingdom in another dimension where all mystical creatures still live and coexist with each other. But a dark overload came along and tricked her into handing her kingdom to him and then banished her to our world. She doesn't feel she deserves to wear the same colors as she used to, but loves places where colors are extreme."

"Wow," Lori said taking another gulp of her drink, "so is she like magic?"

"A little, she is now more of a warrior looking to strengthen herself before she tries to go home and take her kingdom back," he said before looking for their next victim. "That guy," he said looking at a young man at the bar on his own.

"Oh my," Lori said blushing a little from the drink and from looking at the handsome young man, "you are terrible."

"You are the one with the dirty thoughts,"

"Alright, so… he is on his own, so he doesn't like to have company."

"Yet he is here,"

"Because he wants to feel human, because he is not human or from Earth."

"No copying"

"I am not copying," she said with a pout, "Okay, let me start again. He just broke up with his girlfriend and came here to look for someone to make the pain go away, but all he found was more pain because his saw his ex here with another guy. When he saw her, he realized he still cared for her and now doesn't know what to do because she is still here. If he leaves, he looks like he is running away, and he is too proud for that. So, he is waiting for someone to approach him, a girl that will make the pain go away."

And she was close. Conner could sense it. The guy was sad but also anxious.

"Has anyone ever hurt you like that?" Lori asked him still watching the back of the man.

"Once," he admitted, "but we worked things later, but only to remain as friends."

"I can't believe you are younger than me; you are so mature."

"Only by a few years, and believe me, I didn't handle it so well when I realized it, what about you?"

"Usually guys run away when they realized who my uncle is, and those who stay I soon realize they usually do it out of interest."

"Have you thought of telling them right from the beginning?"

"I would do that more out of fun to see their expressions,"

They watched the guy stand looking defeated. Conner didn't miss the sadness that Lori felt when he started to pay his tab.

"You want to invite him over?" Conner asked her taking her by surprise.

"I am really easy to read, aren't I?"

"Go for it,"

And she did, though at first she looked very flustered when she came face to face with him. She sent him an apologetic smile as she sat at the bar with him again. Conner only shrugged. He didn't mind at all. He preferred that she got close to someone else. They were related, and he had the feeling Lori was starting to see something that wasn't there. After a while, he got a message from her.

'Is getting late, would you like to go back on your own?'

Conner replied, 'Make sure to contact me if you get into trouble.'

'Will do, have a good night Conner.'

And then he left back to the flat that thankfully was now silent and almost empty. There were a few people sleeping around.

"I was wondering where you disappeared to" Clark came out of his bedroom with a trash bag in hand.

"Sorry, it was crowded,"

"Tell me about it," Clark said looking back to his bedroom.

Conner saw Cat, Lois and Jonathan sleeping on Clark's bed, thankfully still dressed.

"How did that happen?"

"You don't want to know," Clark said fast before he continued picking up trash.

"Leave it to me," Conner said swearing he saw his mentor blush. A few moments later the trash was in bags and sorted. He also made sure to cover with some of their spare blankets their crashed guests.

It was close to dawn, and both of them felt too wired to try even to go to sleep. Conner started packing what he thought they would need on his trip while Clark prepared some coffee for the guests he guessed would be waking up soon.

"I will try to be back as soon as possible," Conner told him as he got ready to leave.

"I don't doubt it little brother," Clark told him with a trusting smile as he ruffled his hair.


	15. Chapter 15

Becoming Superboy 15 (The Secret Life of a Reporter)

It never stopped to surprise him how much pain one human could bring him. Not Luthor, or any of his enemies, but the woman he fell head over hills in one day. Every time he saw her with someone he tried to shut it out and tell himself that this too shall pass. And every time it had until then. She had moved in with Jonathan Carroll. He hadn't known pain like that before. Still, as he lay on the bed trying to get a few hours of sleep he couldn't help to remember the first time they met as Clark Kent and Superman. He hadn't even graduated, and he already had a place in the Daily Planet. He was a new graduate and Perry had snatched him before anyone else could.

The first time he walked into the building it was a dream come true to him. He was going to write news; important, life changing news. When he arrived for his first day, he had been waiting outside Perry's office. She didn't even glance at him as she strolled in and to be sincere he hadn't paid her much attention either. He had thought her attractive, but time taught him she was much more than that.

"But I am on to something chief; I don't have time to babysit the new guy. No offence Mark," Lois had said barely giving him a glance.

"Clark," he corrected.

"That is exactly the reason Lois. We are close to getting a visit from Luthor's lawyer thanks to you," Perry said slamming his hand on the desk. Clark had almost jumped, but Lois stood her ground firmly, "and don't call me chief."

"It means I am right, and he is up something," Lois said.

Perry sighed and then gave Clark a tired look. Clark could read it easily. It wasn't so much about Lois showing him around, but him making sure she didn't get into trouble.

"You show Kent around the office, and then you can go. But you make sure to take him with you," Perry said aware he would not be able to stop her but hoped a smart young man like Clark could keep her out of trouble.

Lois started to protest but with a raised brow from the editor they knew there would be no further compromises.

"C'mon Kent," she all but stomped out of the office.

"Good luck," Perry whispered more to himself than to Clark, but he heard him just the same.

He had not been a stranger to who Lois Lane was. She had been making quite amazing headlines that past year. Usually, it involved taking Lex Luthor down a peg or two. After showing him where his desk was she showed him the break room and other parts of the floor in record time.

"Now let's get going. My gut tells me that story writes itself today," she almost dragged him out.

He offered to drive them to Lex Corp. If the woman drove as she showed him around the Daily Planet, he wasn't sure having her behind the wheel was such a good idea.

"So, where are you from Lark? You don't strike me as someone from around here," she asked.

Lark? Really? Was she testing his patience? Well, not that he was upset, but at least he wouldn't let her win.

"It's Clark, and I am from Smallville, Kansas," he said keeping his eyes on the road.

"Never heard of it," she declared.

"Is a small town like the name implies. Farmers mostly," he said wondering what she would make out of that. He wasn't stranger to what city folk thought of him. He was too nice, or too polite. To him, they were too aggressive but that was neither here or there. This was his home now.

"Smallville huh? That fits you," he didn't need his super-hearing to hear the smirk on her words.

"I will bite, what you mean by that?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing Smallville," she said with a smirk.

Great, he thought still he smiled as the Lex Corp building came into sight. He parked a few blocks away as Lois asked and watched astounded as she took out of her bag a blond wig. This woman was like no other he had ever met. The moment they got out of his car she took hold of his arm as if they were a couple.

"We are going to join the tour group and then I am going to sneak into the ninth floor. My informants tell me all the shady stuff happens there. I need you to remain as my look out," She said as they left the parking garage and walked down the street towards the tall building.

"That sounds a tad too risky," he said to her trying not to think too much of where she had placed his upper arm as she held to it. To anyone around them, they seemed like a couple.

"Get used to it Smallville, the news don't come looking for us, you know?" she said as she placed a pair of sunglasses on.

"Right," he wanted to sigh but stopped short. She was right. His grad paper had him sneaking in the lowest and most dangerous neighbors in town. He had to use a disguise too just to keep muggers from targeting him. Not that they could hurt him, but he preferred to stay under the radar.

Ten minutes later they were part of the tour of Lex Corp. He tuned the guide out and listened for anything suspicious. He could hear many frantic hearts above them. It seemed Lex Corp was a rather stressing place to work.

"Now," she whispered as they left the back of the group and snuck into the service stairs. They rushed to the ninth floor and entered the level as silent as mice. With his x-ray vision, he was fast to tell Lois was right. Something was going on today.

"This way," Lois said leading them to an observation room. There was a one sided window where they spotted Luthor's latest project. Lois didn't lose a moment and took her phone out and started recording the whole test.

"That has to be illegal," Lois said as they watched a tank like armor walk around an expansive room shooting bullets and missiles from its arms.

"Not necessarily, Luthor might be keeping quiet if it is for a contract with the military," Clark said.

"Believe me, if I hadn't thought of that we wouldn't be here. I checked, and there are no agreements at this time with Lex Corp," Lois said as she flinched when the war machine started shooting an endless stream of bullets towards a group of mannequins.

"You have access to military intel?" Clark asked skeptically but was starting to believe Lois might be just the kind of person to have that type of sources.

"Long story short; yes and from a very good source," she said smugly.

They continued to watch the test until none of the obstacles remained. It was clear to them that the machine was built for war.

"Well, what do you think Queen?" they heard Lex Luthor as he entered the room. A screen was lowered revealing the face of a beautiful dark haired woman.

"Who is that?" Lois asked for she knew her from somewhere.

"The queen of Bialya," Clark said with a frown. The woman was better known as Queen Bee; her real name remained unknown. It was still a mystery how the woman single handedly took over the nation of Bailya and then established a dictatorship. Though there was no safe access to the nation, it was well known that she ruled with an iron fist. The past few years there had been suspicions that she was building a military power to be reckoned with. Right there they had proof of it.

"Oh shit," Lois said as she stopped recording.

"We better get out of here," Clark said when he heard guards get close to their location.

"No way Smallville. There has to be more around here we can use," she said looking at the machine with distaste.

"That video will be enough," he said as they left the observation room.

"It won't, believe me. Luthor will find a way to twist the truth and make it look like something else. I am not letting him get away with it again. If you want to leave, go right ahead. I am not stopping you," she said clearly upset. He imagined the man gotten away too many times.

"Watch it!" they heard someone shout before wall ahead of Lois exploded and the armor came crashing towards them.

"Lois!" he pulled her to another hall before she was smashed by the metallic beast.

"Lane!" Luthor shouted when he spotted them. He looked furious for a moment before remembering his other predicament, "Stewarts stop right now and leave the armor!"

"No! It's my armor! You can't take it from me!" the man piloting the machine shouted.

"You buffoon!" Luthor said taking out something that looked like a control remote, "I will teach you to contradict me." But when he pressed the button nothing happened.

"You thought I wouldn't notice any additions to my baby? I took care of it a while ago," the man said before pointing its arm at them ready to turn them into cadavers.

"Run!" Clark shouted before the other two snapped and started doing just that. He made sure to stay behind them and deflect any bullet that could harm them. He really hoped this man was really so out of his mind not to realize what he was doing.

"Turn right! There is a bunker that way!" Luthor had shouted before he and Lois turned to that direction. Clark took the left.

"Clark!" Lois shouted when she saw that happen. Her eyes widened in horror as the crazed man shoot in that direction before continuing after them.

"You can run, but you can't hide!" shouted the man as they neared the bunker. Before they could make it to its safety, the man shot a missile toward the armored door. The explosion had shattered the panoramic sized windows to their right before they stumbled to the ground shaken and fearful for their lives. Lois tried to stand as full survival mode kicked in. She had to get out of there and check on Clark. She couldn't have had the guy killed after only a few hours of meeting him.

"Look out!" Luthor shouted as another missile was launched but this time towards their shaken forms. They managed to jump in opposite directions, but this wasn't good for Lois for she ended up stumbling by the window and then falling.

That was how she first met Superman. She thought she was dead until she looked up and saw those amazing blue eyes. The same way he had been entranced by hers. It was as if they had known each other all their lives and were finally meeting after a long time.

He sat on bed awakening from the memory. It was early, but he couldn't go back to sleep. He went flying around the city. It was early, too early for most but to him the time was perfect. Watching dawn break through from above the sky scrapers was perfect though a tad lonely. Usually nothing happened around that time. Still, he went around the barely awakening streets flying lower than normal since there weren't many people around. It wouldn't do for him to distract some driver and cause an accident. That morning was slightly interesting as he caught a man falling from a window.

"Don't take me back!" the man said in a panic, "her husband will kill me."

He could only sigh before placing the man on the ground and then deciding to return home. When he entered through the window Conner was already up and eating breakfast as he read The Death &amp; Life of American Journalism. He reminded himself to read it at some point. The tittle alone spoke volumes to him. Conner gave him a short hello before continuing with his book. He sat on the other end of the table with a warm cup of coffee.

The young hero spoke very little that morning. That was the usual time when he said he didn't see much point on morning patrols. However after the first week he said it more out of habit than anything. Like many, Conner found Clark was a creature of routine. He had to be with so many surprises thrown into his life. He had to have control of something. He got a second cup and realized Conner was no longer eating but pushing his food on his plate.

"I sent you my article," Conner said still looking at his book, but it was easy to tell that the teen wasn't reading it.

"Great, I will read it later," he said trying to not make a big deal out of it. He had lost count of the times Conner had rewritten the darn thing.

"Tomorrow," Conner said looking at him with wide eyes. He was clearly worried.

"Alright, tomorrow," he said well aware that Conner would be leaving the next day.

After Conner left for his first class Clark went to his computer to get some work done before he had to go to the League's meeting. He had quite a few projects he wanted to complete, but there was one at top of all the rest; the recent disappearance of homeless women. Metropolis was a bright city, but it also had its dark sides. They had no families and very few friends; when they disappeared very few were reported. A few nights ago, after a late night patrol one of those women shouted at him from the top of a roof. She had looked shaken but spoke to him of what was happening nonetheless. After that, it didn't take him long to find others that corroborated her story.

It also worried him because even though he had been staying later than usual he had yet to catch any of the culprits, and the women kept disappearing without even one shout for help. So, as to raise awareness he wanted to write a story that would get people to do something. He wrote of the lack of shelters for women. Many of them didn't feel comfortable staying at the mixed shelters, and he didn't blame them. They were victims of violence, abuse, and rape. All of these even within the overcrowded walls of the shelters where the number of volunteers was few.

So, they preferred to take their chances in the streets where they were now disappearing. It just wasn't right.

After finishing the article and another cup of coffee he sent it to Cat. It was half an hour later after taking a shower that he got a message from her. She wanted a follow up on it within the next few days with witness statements and if possible pictures. He agreed before changing to his uniform and leaving for the meeting with the League.

Though she was not the most conventional of editors, he still found her dedication admirable. He also liked the free range. The fact that he had little to no editing on his article had allowed him to find new edges to his writing.

"We are in a new age Clark, and is not just about get with the times but shaping them too," Cat had told him the first time they published one of his articles as it was. "We got what it takes to shape the future of the news, don't you think?"

It was still morning when he got to the Watch Tower. He had expected the usual stuff: a charity even here and there, missions which required more thought out plans, share of intel, reports on the young members of the Team and how they were progressing, and if there was one among them ready to join their table. But as of the past few weeks a new topic had been added. What would be done about Conner, Bart, Tim, and Jaime?

The League members didn't always agree with everything, but never to the point that a topic would be brought to their meetings every single week for a months.

"Superman, a word if I may," he stopped and turned to look at the leader of the Team; Kaldur.

"Of course," besides more than half of the League was still missing from the meeting room.

They walked to one of the halls. He was starting to get a little worried. Though he knew Kaldur was a smart and sympathetic leader he was also strict. He didn't like what Bart and the other were trying to do at all.

"The Super-Cycle is misbehaving. We believe she is because of Conner's long absence. We need him to visit her as she is an important member of the team," Kaldur went straight to the point.

"I will tell him," he said wondering not for the first time how smart was that machine. He had thought at first odd when Conner referred to the machine as her, but the more he learned about its origin and behavior he started getting used to it.

"Also," and he noted Kaldur's eyes narrowed and all air of friendliness was gone, "tell him to make the others stop hacking the Zeta-Beam system. It stopped being funny a while ago."

"They are doing what?" the League usually tried to give as much freedom to the Team as possible, but he was pretty sure this was something they should have reported to them a while ago.

"It's still funny," Nightwing said walking towards them with a smirk, "but very sloppy work if you ask me."

"Is like they want us to know is them," Kaldur said with a glare at his friend, "completely disrespectful."

"That does sound like something Tim would do," the other young adult said.

"Or you," muttered Kaldur.

"Ahem," Superman had to remind the two young adults he was still there. They gave him sheepish looks before excusing themselves. As they left, he listened to them a short while longer trying to think of a way of how to stop Tim from continuing to hack their system. Kaldur it seemed blamed Richard for teaching the other Batman prodigy more advanced ways to hack and using their system as a test in the past.

He decided as he sat on his chair at the meeting that he would have to find the right time to talk to Conner about that. He had fought so many difficult foes; so many mad men. But, he still found the challenge of timing the most difficult. He wasn't sure if it had been a good idea to reveal Conner's existence to the world almost a week ago. Heck, he wasn't even sure if the kid needed him at all. Besides his temper issues years ago, which were sort of his fault, he was a responsible young man. That's why he didn't question his judgment when he joined Kid Flash and their friends in their crazy time travelling quest.

The rest of the League didn't see that way. Though when Kid Flash had first arrived at their time ended in the defeat of the Reach it didn't mean it could also go wrong. Time was a fragile thing.

Diana was the main speaker against their plan. Yet, she didn't say anything directly to kids believing only theirs mentors had the right to do so. Sadly for her, the mentors allowed it for a reason or another. It really got on the Amazon's nerves to the point where she confronted the Flash directly about it.

"It is reckless and selfish. You must see that Flash," she started for the umpteenth time. He could have sworn he heard most of the League groan internally. She usually picked the end of the already long meeting to bring it up.

"Recklessness has nothing to do with it. Bart has been battling the Reach most of his life. He lost family and friends, and now he only wants to save those he thought he would also be saving by coming here. That is far from selfish," Barry crossed his arms.

Superman agreed with his friend. Bart had come to that time knowing he wouldn't be able to go back home even if he succeeded, but he still did.

"But the fabrics of time are fragile," someone echoed his thoughts, "their tampering though successful once doesn't mean it's not damaging the time stream," the Atom said and there was very little anyone could say to the man with the doctorate in physics.

"That's but a theory," Barry was the exception to this rule; "you know that there's as much a chance that it will do nothing."

"But why take such a chance," Green Arrow said with a sigh, he like Superman saw the point both sides made, "believe me, I see the nobleness behind it. Still, you have to admit the chance of breaking time is not worth taking." Or is it? He could see Ollie debate with himself.

"He did it for us, didn't he?" Shazam said "we wouldn't be here if he hadn't. Who knows how many other they will be saved over there."

Superman tuned out of the debate. It was pointless to debate it now. He was sort of glad the rest didn't know the youngsters would be trying their machine the next day. He wasn't sure if Barry and Bruce knew, but he thought it wasn't his place to tell them if Bart, Tim, and Jaime chose not to. Conner had trusted him with the information only a few hours after learning it himself. Again, he could find fault with the boy.

"Superman?" Wonder Woman asked when the debate turned to him.

"I believe it is not our place to decide what they can and can't do. We taught them well, and they are simply acting based on their judgment and what we told them was right. Changing the rules just because some of us don't agree is not correct. They are young and smart young men. Like us, when we started, they have made mistakes, and we have been there to correct them and help them grow. However, there is a time when we have to stop and let them make their own choices. I know some of the members of the Team have done well following the same path as us step by step, but there are those like them who have chosen to carve their own. I believe that we owe them the benefit of a doubt. Each one of them has proven their capabilities as of late."

He really wasn't sure if they were doing the right thing, but he trusted Conner and Conner trusted his friends. He wanted to believe this was enough for him, but the warning from Atom still nagged at him. He pushed the though away with another. They couldn't really believe that all the young heroes would follow their exact steps. Aqualad, Nightwing, Zatanna, and Rocket had done well under these circumstances, but he could already see other young heroes break away. Conner was among them.

"That is true," everyone turned to look at Batman. He always stayed out of the debates until then. "But, if they indeed work in a different set of rules than us and the Team then the best thing to do would be to let them go their own way."

"Another team?" Wonder Woman asked. Many others looked confused at the idea. They didn't like the idea of the League becoming even more divided. The Team existed not only for the undercover missions but also to teach the young. Another Team didn't make much sense to them.

"No," the Batman said, "just let them go."

"You don't mean to cut them off the League, do you?" Black Canary stood worried. She had watched over many of those kids and couldn't help to worry.

"Yes, let them continue making their own way as we did," Batman said crossing his arms. This was where he stood on the subject.

"But we weren't children back then," Green Lantern said, "well, most of us." He said looking at the younger members of the League.

"They are no longer children. What they have seen and done has made sure of that. All thanks to the path _we_ started them on," he said before some of the mentors looked guilty.

"I believe it will be better if we continue this conversation at our next meeting. Let us think what this would mean for the League and the Team," Martian Man Hunter said.

They all agreed. They would need time to think about what they would decide. Though as they left the meeting room Superman already had a good idea of who was against the idea and who wasn't.

Some like Wonder Woman believed they should not let the young to their own devices while Batman believed they could do well on their own. Then there were others like him who had no idea.

"Dammit," said Flash next to him, "I know they could do it but what if-" he didn't finish. Superman saw him think of that time almost two years ago. They had saved the world but at a terrible cost.

"Bart is trying to honor him," he reminded his friend, "he truly believes in what we are trying to do for the world."

"But he is still a kid, isn't he?" Batman's words had resonated with him. Even Superman hadn't missed the boy hid his seriousness and jaded self behind a mask of humor. "He still goes to school, plays pranks and gets moody out of nowhere."

"But he also has a brilliant mind and has the will to do what he believes right," Black Canary said joining them with Green Arrow.

"I know they are not Roy, but is a harsh world out there," Green Arrow said.

"He didn't exactly turn bad," Flash said, "depending on which one we are talking about."

"Red Arrow is still helping the League his own way and looks after his family. That is good in my book," Superman said.

"But Arsenal went rogue on us," Green arrow said with a frustrated sigh.

"Not really," Black Canary tried to console him, "he seems to be behaving with Todd and Koriand'r."

"Right, because those two are such good influences," Green Arrow said before getting slapped on the back of the head by his girlfriend, "what?"

"They are not perfect, just like everyone else," Canary said before walking away.

"And I got to go," Green Arrow said hurrying after her.

"Conner and Barth wouldn't turn like that," he said to his friend.

"I don't know. Living on a tropical island with a woman like Koriand'r doesn't so bad," Flash said with a smirk which quickly faded, "please don't tell my wife I said that."

Superman shook his head in misbelief before heading for the Zeta-Beam. He needed time to think about this, but it wouldn't be that day. After some grocery shopping, he believed a good afternoon of peace and quiet was what he needed. However, Cat had other ideas. Even before he made it to his apartment, he could already hear the ruckus Cat and others from the office were making at his apartment's hall.

"Oh no," he said faking shock.

"Oh yes Kent, now open the door," Cat Grant said with a smile, "we are not leaving until you are wasted."

Good luck with that, he thought before opening the door. In a few minutes, his apartment was blaring with music, chatter and the hiss of beer cans been open. Soon after that Conner arrived and looked authentically shocked. After Cat pretty much forced him to bring Lori over he went to sit on the couch. He wondered for a moment if he might be able to escape his own home.

"Don't even think about leaving you own party, that would just be lame," Cat said sitting next to him.

"My party?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Your article about Superboy broke the record of views and almost doubled our number of subscribers. They are mostly teenagers wanting to know about the kid, but can't really complain, right?" she said handing him a beer.

He nodded surprisedly. He knew the numbers had improved but not by that much.

"This party is for you Kent, so don't even think about leaving," she said with a smile. They were actually doing it; they were changing the shape of news.

"Wouldn't dream of it," he said taking a gulp from his beer and then realizing she was watching him, "what?"

"In all the years that I have known you I have never seen you drunk," she said curiously.

"I have very high tolerance," to Earth's drinks. There were a few drinks out there which could actually make his mind fuzzy.

"Don't care, now drink," she said before giving him a playful stare. That can't be good; he thought "never made a mistake, have you?"

"Plenty actually," he said as he continued to drink.

"Like?" she asked leaning forwards.

"Like letting you talk him into throwing a party," they both turned to see Lois accompanied by Jonathan Carroll, her boyfriend. "Really, what were you thinking Smallville?"

He saw Cat was ready to answer for him, but decided to stand up for himself.

"Even I know how to have fun every once in a while Lois," he said taking a long drink, "hey John."

"Hey Clark," the man said clearly uncomfortable. He could sense something unspoken among the three of them.

"I need to get another cold one, and so do you," Cat said standing and leaving them.

The chat was very uncomfortable for all of them. Lois and Jonathan congratulated him on his article on Superboy but besides that there was very little to say. He thought about making an excuse to escape the painful sight of them together. He wished he could get drunk then, so he didn't notice the small touches and flirtations. Conner thankfully arrived with his friend Lori to distract them for a short while. Still the sight of them was painful. He was thankful that when Cat returned she noticed and at once dragged him to dance. He was also thankful Cat had forced him to go to clubs in the past, or he would be making a fool out of himself. Though, he was offended that most thought he couldn't dance before then. It wasn't long before Lois and John joined too. He tried to forget them then and just try to have fun.

Conner and Lori had left, and he didn't blame them. Things were getting a little too intense even for him. He had to escape the clutches of a few women and even one guy before he found some safety by the window. From here he watched and listened for anything that might require his help. He really hoped something would come up, but Metropolis chose that night to remind him there was more to his life than just being a hero. So what if he was twenty-nine almost thirty years old. It didn't mean he had to lose all his virtue. He was an example to the hero community. It wouldn't do him any good if they heard he was one of those guys who liked getting around. With a sigh, he went to keep a couple from entering his room. It was the fourth time he had to do this during the night.

"Get a room, but not mine," he told them holding the doorknob so they wouldn't try to bypass him.

"What a prune," they said before walking away.

"Mind if I crash in there?" Cat said joining him. She looked clearly in no condition to get home on her own. With a silent nod he allowed her in and helped her to bed before placing his trashcan by the bed in case she needed it.

"You are such a boy scout," Lois said standing by the door after closing it behind her, "I bet you didn't even think about joining her, did you?"

"I think John should take you home," he said noticing she was also in no condition to get home on her own. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes unfocused.

"Such a boy scout, I bet you don't get any often," she said leaning against the door daring him to remove her.

"Ha!" Cat said rolling on the bed getting more comfortable, "the guy pretty much beats them away with a stick." And then she was snoring.

"You clearly had too much to drink," he said sitting at the edge of the bed. "But don't be mistaken Lois, even I have a point where I don't stand to listen to insult."

"And what will you do when I pass that point? Spank me? You are too nice Smallville," she said and in that instant that she blinked he was before her. She gave a surprised squeak before looking up at his towering figure. He wasn't happy at all.

"You don't want to know Lois. I am a scary sight when angry," he said leaning down until his face was only a few inches from hers. He took her chin on his finger and tilted her head farther. "I know I said I would wait just like I always do when you let go of John, but I am starting to think that a more aggressive approach is called for."

"Like you would dare," but she was shaking like a leaf in the wind.

"You don't know me that well then," he said leaning down and pressed his lips to her. Her body tensed for a moment before relaxing against his. Her lips were so soft but also tasted like beer and something else. He had to find out what that was. He tilted her head and pressed her body against his against the closed door. She had moaned against his lips before he deepened the kiss. If only Cat wasn't sleeping on his… His mind drifted away as Lois wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down even more into the now frantic kiss. He poured as much as he could of the eight years of longing to the kiss. He had to hold her up by her hips as her legs weakened.

"Lois?" they stopped when they heard a knock on the door.

They had frozen before he hurried to lye her down on his bed next to Cat.

"You are sleeping," he told her fast as he covered her with the blanket. She could only nod before closing her eyes.

Clark opened the door to find Jonathan looking worried.

"They are sleeping," he said before he showed John the two girls sleeping peacefully.

"Oh," he relaxed immediately but then turned to look at Clark, "Lois keeps saying there is nothing between you two, but tell me the truth; there is something, isn't there?"

"Does it matter? She is with you," he said closing the door behind Jonathan. He didn't want to become the subject of gossip.

"I wish I could say I was sorry," the man admitted.

"Its fine," he said sitting at the edge of the bed, "I am just surprised it has lasted this long."

"What do you mean?"

"You and Lois; she usually goes out with someone for a few months but things escalated right after I left the Planet." Actually it had done so a little before then, but John didn't need to know that.

"Are you saying she only started a serious relationship after you left? You might not seem like it, but you actually got a big ego, don't you?" Johnathan said with a frown.

"I am just saying she went to look for me back in Thanksgiving, did you know that?" he could hear Lois' heart accelerate as he said the words.

In fact, he did not. Jonathan had left to spend it with his family and Lois said she wanted to stay.

"Anyhow, she is with you for _now_," he said standing and walking towards the door.

"You bastard," the man threw a punch at him. He faked tilting his head to the side from the shock, "shit." Jonathan cradled his hurt hand. After making sure he didn't have any broken bones Clark went to get some ice wrapped in the kitchen towel. "You make it difficult to hate you."

"It's a gift," he said regretting making Jonathan upset, "you can stay here too if you want."

"I won't let her go," he said as Clark started leaving the room.

"There is nothing to let go of," he said stopping at the door, "Lois will let you go if she wants to, that's been the way it always has been."

Jonathan Carroll opened his mouth to reply but just as fast closed it. He couldn't deny it. Clark couldn't help smirking at Jonathan's realization. He had been with her for some time and didn't realize this before? He didn't stand a chance.

He saw out everyone who was in condition to leave and tried to accommodate to those who couldn't. It was the early hours of the day when Conner returned home and helped him cleanup. After all had been done, he watched as he left to save that other time. As he prepared the coffee, he realized he had never felt so proud of Conner before. He went to his computer and started readying Conner's article. Halfway through it, he already had in mind to congratulate him when he got back home. When he reached the end, he stopped for a moment for the last part was not an actual part of the article, but a message to him. He turned to look at his bedroom door with a frown. He wasn't sure if he should be angry or worried. Or maybe, he though leaning back on his chair, maybe he shouldn't say anything and let Conner handle it. Truth was he was worried about what was going to happen next. As of late, things were just getting more complicated, and he was no seer to know what would happen next to be ready. He went to get another cup before he heard shifting on his bedroom. She was awake.

"You are a monster," he heard Lois as she left the bedroom. She glared at him with tired eyes and a headache the size of Texas, "how can you be up and about so early after that and not look like crap."

"I have a very high tolerance," he said as he presented her a cup of coffee.

"Right," she said rolling her eyes, "you know I remember what you said to Jonathan last night. That was uncalled for."

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just a mild mannered reporter raised in Kansas," he said drinking from his own cup. "You can ask just about anyone."

They drank their coffee in calm and watched as people woke up, took a cup and then left. Clark decided to leave the door and windows open to let the smell of beer and cigars leave the apartment. Eventually, Cat came out and glared at both.

"You two beat around the bush too much," she said as she left, "I want that article by tomorrow morning Clark."

"Good morning to you too," he couldn't help laughing.

"I think I will go wake Jonathan up," Lois said before she left to wake her boyfriend up.

That's hadn't gone so bad. Though he wasn't sure how approach her with what he really wanted to tell her. He continued to think as he drank his coffee when he heard someone he would have never expected to visit his apartment approaching.

"Clark? What happened here?" Diana appeared at the door dressed in a suit and with her hair gathered in a bun.

"He is not with the Garrets," Barry arrived a moment later, "wow, what's that smell!" He looked around the living room where some people still slept. "I think we got the wrong place."

"Barry? Diana? Is there something wrong?" he asked stepping forwards.

"I want to talk to Conner," Wonder Woman said seriously. "Is time he stopped them."

"I think it will be better if we talk about this in the dinner across the street. I have company," he told them looking nervously towards his bedroom.

"Oh… ohhh!" Barry had said before Jonathan Carroll came out of his bedroom looking half dead with his hangover, "what?!"

"Sorry for crashing your bed Kent," Jonathan said before he realized he wasn't alone, "ehm good morning?"

"Diana Prince," Wonder Woman said not one bit bothered.

"Ba-Barry Allen," the Flash said giving his friend curious glances. Superman couldn't help to roll his eyes at his friend's assumption.

"Take a cup for the road John, I want to get back home before-," but Lois stopped in her tracks when she spotted the new arrivals.

"Okay?" Barry asked his friend.

"I will explain later," Clark whispered hurriedly before Diana and Barry shared introductions.

"Wait, you don't mean _the _Diana Prince from the Department of Meta-human Affairs?" Jonathan said recognizing her.

"The very same," she said keeping cool attitude.

"Ms. Prince if you got time I would love to interview you," Johnathan said wide eyed.

"Right now is not a good time Mr. Carroll," she said giving a glare at both Barry and Clark, "there is something very important that I have to talk to Clark and Barry."

"It's fine Diana," Barry said trying to buy them some time, "Bruce is not here yet and I could do with some breakfast."

"Fine," she sighed.

"You guys go ahead to the dinner down the street. I will see everyone else out and get changed," Clark also said trying to delay things as much as possible.

As soon as they were gone he showered and dressed in a clean set of clothes before asking the remaining crashers to leave, but not without a complementary cup of coffee.

"You should do this more often Kent. Cat usually kicks us out without even a chance to the loo," the last person said as he left.

Once alone, he concentrated his hearing towards STAR Labs. The boys were just getting organized. He had to buy them some time before Wonder Woman realized that was the day. When he arrived at the dinner, Barry had already eaten through two stacks of flapjacks and was now going through a third. Lois watched him curiously as she listened to her boyfriend interview the beautiful woman in front of him who drank calmly from a cup of coffee before her.

"About time Smallville," Lois said stabbing a fruit from her fruit bowl.

"Sorry," he said sitting down and ordering.

"Thank you, Ms. Prince. I have to say, I was very surprised you were a friend of Clark," Jonathan said as he turned his recorder off.

"Why would you be surprised? Given our line of work it is not strange at all," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"I guess you are right though I don't get why he didn't take the chance to interview you himself," Jonathan gave Clark a curious look. He only responded with a shrug.

"He is a first rate gentleman," Diana responded, "and wouldn't strain our friendship with something like that. Though, as of late I am questioning his guardianship methods."

"Conner is no longer a child Diana," he told her.

"But I beg to differ Clark, he is still young and needs more guidance," she said before looking at Barry, who stopped chewing under her stare, "and Bart too. I know you two were given a great responsibility out of nowhere but-"

"Sorry for being late," she was interrupted by a young adult barging to their table.

"Dick? Where is Bruce?" Diana asked starting to get upset.

"He said 'that's what the meetings are for.' And to not bother him until after midday," he said scratching the back of his head. In reality, he was there so she wouldn't smash her way into the cave.

"And Tim?" she asked as the two of them lived in the mansion with Bruce. He had to know.

"Probably getting into trouble, isn't that why we are here?" he was told by Alfred he had left very early, but that was it.

The four heroes then looked at the reporters.

"Private conversation, we get the hint," Lois said grabbing her boyfriend who was still looking dreamily at Diana, "see you later Smallville."

Just as they were about to exit the dinner, the earth shook. The four heroes ran outside as an explosion was heard. They turned towards the source of the explosion. It was STAR Labs.


	16. Chapter 16

To understand better where they are please read _**Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 8 and 9**__**. **_And to see what Kid Flash and Blue will do read _**The Flight of the Blue Beetle 13.**_

Becoming Superboy 16

When he woke up in that future, he couldn't sense any life nearby but their own. In a sense, it had been peaceful, but as soon as he saw where they were he wished to never have this much silence in his senses. The future Kid Flash had brought them too was more horrible than what he could have ever imagined. Metropolis was gone. Anyone he knew was probably gone too. He had never been more thankful when they left the site though the task ahead was not an easy one.

Watching Blue free the Beetle of that time was painful. His powers allowed him to sense everything the tortured man was feeling. He didn't voice it, but he really hoped as he held him in place that it would be over soon. There was so much regret he almost mistook his emotions with his own. His teammates tried to hide their feelings behind the masks they had built over the years, but he could see through all of them.

Bart was so afraid he was surprised he wasn't gone already. Jaime felt guilt for something he didn't do. Tim was insecure of leading them to this point. Still, none of them said anything as they headed towards the base of the rebellion with the unconscious Beetle. Bart went ahead as he had expected him to. The boy needed a moment alone. He guessed he had hoped never to see these wastelands.

When they arrived, they were welcomed by frightened and shocked faces. He felt some glimpses of hope, but there was more fear than anything. Bart arrived in time as some were getting their weapons ready to attack. Neutron stayed behind as people who knew him started to interrogate him about what was going on. He hoped his words would calm some of them. Their constant fear was as if a wasp was inside his head looking for a way out.

When he entered the meeting room, he was surprised at seeing the people present. They were just as full of fear as the rest when they saw Blue. Still, he could tell who was who. Bart had filled them in a while ago about how to handle each one of them. Lian was the one that surprised him the most. She had her mother's face and eyes, but her hair was a wild auburn hidden under a red hood. He wished he could take a picture for Roy and Jade. He was actually tempted to call her Red Arrow. Heck, even her bow was red.

There was also Damian. The man was strange in a whole difference sense. He could barely feel any emotions coming from him, but if he tried to dig a little deeper he could sense a rage like no other. This rage only grew when his eyes rested on Tim. What was the guy's deal? His blue eyes met his and it was as if he was telling him to back off. He did, but there was something familiar about him. He wondered if they had met in the past. But that probably met he was a kid, and he didn't remember a child that would leave that kind of impact on his memory.

There was Arthur, the son of Aquaman. No pun intended, but he looked like a clone of his father. His emotions were like an open book and in a way that made him dangerous. He was wary of them, but not as willing to attack without asking first as the rest. He was cunning, but there was also some insecurity. He didn't know how long he had Aquaman around, but he could bet it wasn't long. The king of Atlantis had led one of the greatest blows to the Reach, leaving his son to handle a broken kingdom and a losing war.

Then there was Alberto. He looked so much like Jaime and his sister that it was a little scary. He was a young man in his twenties but stood among the most seasoned warriors sure of himself or tried to look that way. He softened immediately as Bart explained that the Beetle of that time and his friend were free of the Reach's control. He knew he shouldn't judge but to him he seemed very gullible. Luckily for him they were there to help.

Then there was Jai West. When Bart told them about him, they had all felt the loss of Wally all over again. This was a man that would never be in their time. He was strong, brash, and smart. He had the makings of a leader and a great fighter. He had no powers to speak of, but his iron will. Still, the way he stared at them told him he was no ally. His feelings towards Bart were like open wounds pouring rage, jealousy, and disgust.

After leaving them to decide on their plan and finding the metahumans were still around, they left the Beetle with his sister. They were supposed to rest on the bunkers assigned to them, but even after a long talk about what they might need to do he couldn't find it in himself to rest. He expanded his senses as much as he could. There were so many people in that base. All of them feeling fear at different degrees. Many slept with their weapons nearby while others couldn't sleep at all. Then he sensed people being woken up. Not everyone but there were plenty. They took their arms and marched out of their rooms.

He wondered if they were under attack but soon realized it was something he would have not expected. They were walking towards their barracks. When the first arrived at their hall, he woke up Robin, who then started waking up the rest.

"I am already awake," Blue told him as a small insect landed on his hand. Had he not seen it he would have not sensed it at all. "The Beetle is locked up."

"Did he-" had they failed freeing him?

"No, it looks that Jai doesn't trust him, or us," Blue covered his face with his armor. He knew this bothered him a lot but didn't say anything as he stepped out. The rebels started shooting at his barrier when they spotted him. Blue went to stand before the man behind it. "We don't want to fight you," Jaime told him.

"Good, now tell the clone to lower the barrier," Jai West said, but Superboy didn't even think it once. He could sense the hate of this man pouring like a river at the sight of his friend, which was entirely misguided.

"Not until you tell me what you did with the Beetle and my sister," Jaime stood his ground.

"Nice try Reach scum," Jai said.

Bart woke up and when told what was happening everything started to move too fast. Lian and Alberto joined them while Jai, Arthur, and Damian were against them. They battled their way out of the base and collected allies in the way as Bart went to look for Milagro. He freed the Beetle and then split to start was the last chance they had to save their planet.

Bart and Jaime had left with the Rebellion to free the Metas the Reach had captured while Tim and he ran off with the Beetle of that time to get a ship and free the League. He had never thought that the decision so long ago would still affect them. The League was declared guilty back then, but were not executed. Instead they were placed in stasis until their home world was destroyed, then they were to awaken to suffer to loss of their world, to finally be executed. He had no idea how they planned to do that for some the League members like Superman, but he guessed forty years was plenty of time to think about it.

"Concentrate," the Beetle said flying close to him. He was shielding himself and Tim with his telekinesis. To any onlooker, it would seem as if the Beetle was alone. "It won't be long, and if they detect you they will start suspecting me. The chancellor stopped monitoring me years ago. The moment they begin doubting they will check my scarabs signal and then they will realize something is wrong."

They arrived at the Reach base on what used to be Star City. Ships the size of whole blocks covered the place. The Beetle led them through a maze of leviathans until they reached a smaller yard where smaller ships waited. No one questioned him as he entered one of the vessels. They followed closely getting a good look at the reach soldiers. They all looked much like the chancellor but nothing as strong as the Beetle. Even they seemed to think more than once about talking to him.

Once the ship's doors closed, the Beetle started the ship.

"You better take a seat. This model is one of the fastest," the Beetle told him as they began to ascend at a frightening speed. He and Tim did as told. "You too wannabe ninja," he said before they saw Damian emerge from the shadows.

He and Tim watched as the man took another seat and strapped in. They only stared at each other before turning to the man that decided to ignore them.

"Since when?" Damian asked the Beetle.

"Since we arrived at the base; you knew we would come here," the Beetle said giving Superboy a look that said 'I told you to concentrate.'

Superboy wasn't sure how Damian did it, but he had been able to hide his presence completely. He felt like a rookie but was thankful the Beetle didn't call him on his mistake.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Damian said as the ship left Earth's atmosphere and then started speeding faster and faster away from their home.

"Because you want to help," the Beetle said before he smirked, "though why help us and not the Metas back home remains a question."

"You know," Damian said narrowing his eyes on the Beetle.

"Of course, the first time we fought I spilled your blood just like you spilled mine. A small sample was all that was needed, though is sad you were never recognized as a threat like your father was," the Beetle said after turning his seat to face them. "Then again, he never taught you anything, did he?"

"Watch what you say Beetle, or I will make you death as painful as possible," Damian sneered.

"What are you two talking about?" he had enough. If they were going to work together, they all had to be on the same page.

"He is Batman's son," Tim said after a short silence.

"How did you-" Damian glared at Tim before realizing how he had given himself away.

"I have seen Barman without his cowl. Your look a lot like him," Tim said, "and I also know how close he was to your mother."

"You little rat, you think you are so smart," Damian said readily to unstrap and attack him.

"Save the drama for when you meet your old man," the Beetle said removing his helmet and glaring at the three of them. He didn't look fifty-six because of the suit extending the prime of his life, but from the way he stared at them he could every year trapped. "You will have only a short time to explain to the League what is going on. Remember that to them it will seem as if only a few minutes have passed. You need to work with each other no matter how much bad blood there might be among you."

Conner hadn't thought of that. To Superman, he would look almost exactly the same, but the moment they saw Tim and then if Damian revealed his parentage there would be too many questions he felt they might not be able to answer. The Earth had almost become entirely into a wasteland. The heroes had failed, they had failed, and the League had failed. He wondered if they would want to go back to Earth at all. Suddenly, he didn't want to do this anymore. His fingers slipped towards the part of his belt that kept him at that time, but even doing that now was out of the question. Tim would remain, and he didn't trust Damian, not to try something against him.

"I bet you are now hoping to be back on Earth, right?" the Beetle said turning his chair back to face the front.

No one spoke for the remainder of the trip. They landed on the tribunals of Rimbor. His heart started beating too fast and the platform shook slightly. He took a deep breath and practiced the exercises M'gaan had taught him. He was in control, not his powers. The moment they landed they were handed universal translators by those who saw the guests, especially if it was one from the Reach. Superboy led them through the crowded halls until reaching the largest court. A trial was almost to its finish and he felt a breath of relief escape him as he saw the same tribunal he and M'gaan had convinced last time. He hoped they would be able to convince them; otherwise they would have to break the League out and make a run for it.

They joined those watching, but they took the attention of the whole courtroom in a fraction of a second. There was a Reach soldier among them, after all. After a few minutes of no one being able to concentrate, the tribunal dismissed the court until the next day. They knew if an agent of the Reach was there it was not just to say hi.

"Though we have no issues with the Reach, we don't appreciate you interrupting our impartation of justice," the head of the tribunal said leaning his slob like body over to get a better look at the Beetles companions. His eyes glued to Conner's chest insignia and frowned.

"We are here to inform you that your impartation of justice was wrong," the Beetle said flying until he was face to face with the tribunal. "You are going to correct it, and will correct it now," the Beetle sneered at them.

Okay, that could work. He thought as the Beetle intimidated the tribunal.

"The Reach has no saying over this tribunal," or maybe not, "and certainly not welcome here."

"Weren't we welcome when we paid you to make sure they never saw the light of day again? Is that what you call justice?" okay, he did not know that.

"You have no proof," the head of the tribunal said.

"You should know better slime. The Reach owns you and it has been like this since you took those credits," the Beetle said as his arm displayed a hologram of the recorded transfer to the tribunal accounts.

"This is a trap, the Justice League are your enemies," the slime said turning a weird shade of green.

"Is not your place to question slime, just do as you are told," the Beetle slammed his hand on the tribunal's bench.

"He is good," Robin said authentically surprised.

"He had plenty of practice," Damian sneered.

"But you are… is not…We will no longer be trusted as a tribunal if we just release them!" the tribunal leaned over the bench, almost falling trying to make sense of what happening.

"You are pathetic and not fit to call yourself a house of justice," something generated on the Beetle's hand. It was a small device which he gave to the slime.

"What is this?" the tribunal looked at it with suspicion.

"The proof that the Reach played you and the Earth. You won't take the fall," the ex-Reach soldier said with a smirk.

"You could have started with this," muttered the slime.

"Agree," Conner heard Tim say.

"Where would the fun be in that?" the Beetle said still smirking as he flew down to stand with the rest.

"Heh," Damian laughed.

"I also included the latest Reach protocols for conquest. You may share or if you dare against better judgment to sell the plans for other planets to protect themselves or create alliances," the Beetle said turning that small device into a gold mine.

"We don't want any trouble with the Reach," but the tribunal could see the danger of opposing the Reach.

"You fool," laughed the Beetle, "your world is in the list of the soon to be targets. It's all there. I would recommend you to find as many allies as you can."

"I don't understand why are you doing this?" the tribunal members looked at each other unsure of how to take this. The Reach soldiers were said to be the most loyal.

The Beetle was silent for a moment before removing his helmet. "Read the part on the infiltrators, and you will understand." The man didn't bother to hide behind arrogance or even anger anymore. His eyes were haunted by what he had been forced to see and feel by the Reach.

This time it didn't take them an hour to decide. One glance at the information provided to them convinced them.

"But there is a problem," the tribunal admitted clearly distressed. "The League is not held in Rimbor. They were placed on a rogue planet."

"A rogue pla- what were you thinking!" the Beetle shouted looking genuinely frightened.

"You know how powerful they are! We couldn't risk them wrecking our planet again!" the tribunal shouted back.

"Which one!" the Beetle displayed an image of the best-known rogue planets and tried to find their current locations.

Conner felt as the blood drained from his face. He had heard of those types of planets. They didn't belong to any galaxy and only moved through space without orbit or set course. For all they knew the League was too far to be reached. It was as good as being dead, he thought, the rogue planet might have already collapsed against another planet and was no more.

"Raelene," the tribunal said as the Beetle searched in his database.

"Found it! " he said before showing them a bluish planet with a hint of relief, "is not that far, is a slow mover." He got the coordinates of the League's location from the tribunal and entered them into his system.

They rushed out of the court and into the ship before setting course to the rogue planet. The Beetle barely gave them a chance to sit before they were sipping through space faster than before. The man was desperate for some kind of redemption and this was it for him. He looked at Tim and then at Damian. They both looked very sick. Even he with his half Kryptonian half felt sick; they were moving dangerously fast, but they didn't complain. They had to hurry.

The Bluish planet came out of nowhere. He couldn't believe the Beetle called it a slow mover when it apparently didn't want to wait for them. He had through rogue planets were void of life as they didn't have a sun to consume energy from, but it seemed this was one was actually independent. They landed on what he had first thought was a jungle but was actually a forest with strange colored plants and wildlife. The Beetle handed them breathers generated from his armor as the planet had no air for them to breathe. He wasn't sure yet if he could breathe in space like Superman, but he wasn't about to test it.

They rushed to the site where what seemed ship was left. After forty years, it was covered with the multiple organisms that lived in that strange place. The Beetle led them to the entrance and used his scarab to access to power of the ship. All the lights had come on before they spotted the six capsules holding the League.

"Incredible," Damian said in awe as frozen in stasis just as they had left six of the main members of the League laid unmoving and unchanged.

"Get these on the ones that need them," the Beetle handed them more breathers as he prepared to open the capsules.

The first one was Hawkman. He woke up with a gasp looking around wildly looking ready to start a fight. Conner was fast to hold him still with his powers before placing the breather over his mouth and nose.

"Is alright, we came to get you out of here," Tim told him as Hawkman remembered what had happened.

"Earth… is it-"

"Still in one piece, but there is no time to explain; we have to get everyone out of here as soon as possible," Tim told him making him seat against the wall as they woke up the next hero. Wonder Woman, Martian Man Hunter, and Green Lantern John Stewart were next.

"Wasn't he shorter?" he heard John ask Hawkman as they stared at Tim.

"Teenager, you know," Hawkman answered.

"Alright, get that ready for the Batman," the Beetle said before opening the Dark Knight's capsule. Knowing better than to take his chances Conner kept the masked man still as he placed the mask over his mouth and nose and then slowly released him.

"What happened," but instead of jumping or struggling like the rest had Batman only stared at Tim and Conner before frowning at Damian. He could tell things were really off.

"Long story," the Beetle sighed before opening the last capsule.

"My head," Superman stumbled out of his capsule before Conner supported him, "Conner? What happened?"

"Let's get moving people!" shouted the Beetle, "Reach ships are coming this way. We got ten minutes to get on course or they will catch up with us."

"But how did they know?" Tim asked thinking the same as Conner, what if Blue and Kid Flash were caught?

"Doesn't matter, move it!" shouted the Beetle shoving whoever wasn't moving out of the old ship.

"Hey!" some protested but started running though the stasis had left them disoriented.

"Conner what's going on?" Superman asked him flying next to him. The keyword was flying. His mentor was surprised at seeing him fly. Boy was he in for some terrible news.

"We will explain in the way," he said wishing he could push that moment out of his life.

They all boarded the ship and like before they had to scramble to buckle up as the Beetle forced the machine to its limits.

"This is a Reach ship," John said looking apparently worried at the Beetles change on appearance.

"Start explaining," demanded Batman.

Conner and Tim looked at each other wondering how to begin for a moment. Conner took a deep breath and started.

"We lost, forty years ago," he said allowing the idea to sink in for a moment. He could sense Martian Man Hunter try to enter his thoughts, but he pushed him back, "the Reach conquered the Earth almost entirely and has spent that time capturing as many Metas as possible."

"But you two don't look… Robin doesn't look forty years older," Hawkman said.

"That's because we are not the Robin and Superboy from this timeline," Tim said taking a deep breath, "the grandson of the Flash, his name is Bart went back to our time to warn us of what would happen. We were able to stop the invasion in our timeline two years ago, but then he found this timeline had not changed. He, the Blue Beetle of our time and we created a time machine to come here and help."

"So that's not Jaime?" Wonder Woman asked clearly confused as most of them.

"I am the Jaime of this timeline," the Beetle said removing his helmet. He looked older than most of them, "and I am the reason why the Reach won."

"Wait a moment," Batman said pinching the bridge of his nose, "so the Earth has been under the Reach's thumb for forty years and you four travelled in time to try to save us?"

"Yes," Tim and Conner answered.

There were many questions, but he one they kept coming back to was how long they had been away. As they neared Earth, he could sense their distress and shame. They had failed and they blamed themselves for every single death since then.

"This is no time to start crying," the Beetle said standing, "the Reach armada caught up with us."

"I will skin each one of them alive," the Green Lantern said ready to battle.

"No, all of you must get back Earth. I will hold them back for as long as I can," the Beetle readied his cannons.

"But Blue-" Conner tried to argue.

"No one has called me that in a long time," he smiled at the two youths, "please make sure my sister and nephew make it." And with that he opened the back of the ship and got sucked out before it closed again. The ship continued on its way as the Beetle of that time stalled a whole Reach fleet.

Conner clawed at his seat before unstrapping himself and then sitting on the commanding chair. He made sure the coordinates were right as he started to fill them in their plan. He just hoped they made it in time.

888

Back in their own time Superman rushed with the Flash towards Star Labs. They found all the staff had left the building to watch the phenomenon outside. He recognized Victor Stone, who was working alongside a doctor on a control panel frantically. In front of them was a large sphere made of pure energy which had created a crater where it sat.

"Where are they?" he asked them.

"Inside," the woman never said looking away from the controls. "We are trying to keep the machine going until they return, but it won't be long. It's too overheated."

"What will happen if they don't?" the Flash asked trying to keep his voice steady.

"They will be either pulled back," Victor stone said, "or get stuck in that time."

"What do you need?" Superman asked.

"For you to stay out of our way," Victor said glaring at both.

There was nothing they could do. Superman, the strongest and probably most powerful being on the planet could do nothing but pray.


	17. Chapter 17

For what happened before ready _**Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 11**_

Becoming Superboy 17

When they returned from Bart's time, he hadn't expected the whole League and Team to be waiting for them along with a crowd of curious and reporters. Among them of course was Lois Lane. He was thankful the rest of the League was able to keep them back because he didn't want them to hear Wonder Woman shouting at them. He also didn't expect for Bart to be missing. He had been sad and happy at the same time. He had his family back and the Reach was gone from Earth. It hadn't been a perfect end, but it was one where his friend regained those he thought lost.

Then Bart had returned. They didn't know how just yet but he guessed as they arrived at the Watchtower that they all would learn soon. He could tell it had taken him some time because the boy had actually grown an inch or two. Though he wondered if the League would care to listen at all; Tim had just a short time ago told them that the League was undecided about keeping them around. He wondered if Superman hadn't also told him anything because of what they were planning. Like Time had said, they had been under enough pressure at the time.

"I wish we could be in the meeting," he heard Beast Boy a few rooms away.

"Could you tell us what is going on M'gann?" La'gaan asked the Martian.

"Uncle John won't allow me," she said with a sigh.

"This is so frustrating, they are our friends," Cassie said with a stump that was felt all the way to the hall where they were walking.

"But they have broken the rules Wonder Girl. They have to face the consequences," Kaldur said though he sounded far from happy.

"Yeah, broke them and came back from freeing a slaved world and defeating the Reach," Virgil said to the Atlantean. "Plus, Bart brought some cool guests."

"Which we don't know if it will affect the fabric of time somehow," Kaldur said sounding tired.

"Superboy?" he realized he had stopped and his friends were watching him a little worried.

"It's nothing," he said though his mind was already spinning an idea.

He never got into any major trouble in school, but he wondered if it was like this. The whole League was seated around their high tech table waiting for them. He noted a few were irritated they hadn't arrived right away. He wished he could say he didn't care much like Bart and Tim did, but he did care. They were their teachers and he believed they deserved respect if simply for what they did for the everyday folk.

"I have a request," he said.

"You are not in a position to make any requests," Wonder Woman said crossing her arms.

"We are no League members," he told them, "and for such reason I believe the Team should also be present in this meeting. They deserve to know what is going to happen first hand if just for that."

"It is a sensible request," the Atom said to the angered Amazon.

"Just bring them in, we have dwelled on this for too long," Batman said glaring at the four of them.

A few moments later the whole Team was brought in. The young heroes looked worried at being called in. They thought they were in trouble as well, but soon learned from their mentors that they would be part of the meeting since they were teammates.

"Now," Batman said never taking his eyes off them, "explain everything from the beginning."

So, they told their story from the moment they arrived at Bart's time taking turns and adding details when the others forgot them. As they talked, it started to dawn on him that they had done the impossible. He knew this was no strange to the League, but to them it meant something greater. He wondered if the League felt like this too when they started. The more they progressed into their story it seemed more unreal.

He was very tempted to shut down his sensory powers but refrain as he hoped to get an inside of what they were thinking. He was by no means a mind reader like M'gann… yet. However, the past months had allowed him to learn how to read emotions to a better degree. However it was getting to the point where his emotions were threatened to be overcome by theirs. Rage was very tempting to feel, but he knew what would happen if he allowed his control to slip.

"We will have a recess for thirty minutes," Batman announced just when Conner thought he would not be able to stand it anymore.

"About time, I am starving," Bart said before rushing to the kitchen as the rest went to one of the private rooms away from the questioning looks of the League and Team.

"What do you think they will do?" Jaime said removing his armor and rubbing his shoulder as he sank into one of the comfortable chairs.

"A better question is why we are allowing them to judge us," Tim said leaning back on his chair. He seemed very nonchalant about the whole matter even though it was his mentor that had been glaring at them the whole time. He wondered if the man even blinked.

Though some didn't show it like Tim, Conner knew the whole situation was stressing all of them. It was hard enough to do all they did, but to tell the League about it and then be judged by their actions was just torturous. He didn't believe they did anything wrong. They had found a way to the end and were back safe.

"I missed the food of this time so much," Bart said returning with food for all of them.

"How long were you there?" Blue asked him.

"Almost six months," Bart said before starting to eat. They waited for him to say something else, but he just kept eating.

"I guess you found the secret to time travel?" Tim asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe," Bart said as he kept eating, "though that is something I will take with me to the grave."

It was no joke. Bart looked at each one of them in the eye to make sure they understood.

"What are you going to tell the League when they ask?" Jaime asked him.

"The same thing," Bart said returning to eat.

"This is so not going our way," Blue said with a sigh.

"What do we want anyways? We go back to taking the undercover missions and being treated like children?" Tim asked them, "or do you wish to join the League but continue to be tied down by their rules?"

"You make both of them sound so appealing," Conner couldn't help saying. Robin stared directly at him and Conner could sense what he really wanted, "you want us to quit both." Though it was no big surprise since he and Bart kept acting as if they shouldn't care what the League wanted.

They talked about what this would mean for them. Would they become a team of their own like what the Red Hood, Arsenal, and Starfire were or were they going their own ways and giving each other a hand when needed? Or would they stay and if is with the Team or demand to be part of the League? There were pros and cons to all of them, but it was hard to measure unless they tried. In the end they came to an agreement, some sure and others a little reluctant. The voice of Martian Man Hunter called to start the meeting again. Tim was the first one out the door leaving the rest in anxious silence. Kid Flash followed after a moment while trying to keep a firm look. He remained with Blue for a moment. The boy couldn't hide the conflict going through his mind.

"Are you… are you okay with this?" Blue asked him.

"Whatever happens, the four of us will face it together. Whether we want it or not, we are a team now," and then left Blue to his own thoughts. He knew of all four of them he had been at this for a lot less time. It was understandable that he had his doubts. Still, he hoped the four of them would indeed stick together.

When returning to the meeting Tim took over explained what happened next. He didn't want to speak anymore so he was fine with this. He noticed he didn't say anything about Damian; that was a whole other can of worms. That reminded him that Clark might have already read his article and the note he included in it. If he had, he was taking it quite well. He hadn't been sure they would return and decided to let him know through his article seconds before he sent it. It had been rushed, but he deserved to know.

It finally got to Bart when he was stuck in his time. It seemed they had reached an agreement with the scientist and she was able to remove the red scarabs from Bart's family and was now of finding ways to restore life to the planets the Reach had conquered. It was helpful that the scientist was a passionate collector of life from other worlds. Also, four cities had been funded since they left and were thriving with a combination of Earth, Reach, and otherworldly technology. It was no perfect for the percentage of Metas was a lot higher and were arguments about who did more for their survival, but those of extreme opinions were very few. The League continued to do what they did, but they also served consultants to the leaders. And then, just as he said he wouldn't tell them the secret to safe time travel.

"Because no such thing exists," he told them. Some of the Leaguers were ready to question him, but he raised his hand to stop them, "I really mean it; I will take it with me to the grave."

"Is there anything else you want to say before we make our decision," Batman asked them.

"Yes," he stood forwards. He could feel the eyes of his companions on his back. He had wanted Tim to do this, but since he had been doing this for a longer time than them they decided he would be the best for the job.

"Well?" the Batman said centering his gaze on him.

"You don't need to make any decisions regarding us," Conner said looking at each one of the League members, "because we quit. We are now independent agents and no longer require your approval for what we do. We are thankful for all you have taught us, but we have a different vision of what we can do for the world. We will be taking our leave now, but if you require our assistance we will be more than happy to provide it."

Then silence rained in the meeting room. The first sound was that of Tim and Bart turning away and leaving the room. He sensed the panic in Jaime and turned to face him with a smile.

"Let's go, we have plenty to talk about," he told the blue hero who could only nod before they left to join the others. As he walked, he could hear a little of the conversation that followed.

"Well, that was unexpected," said Hal Jordan.

"Talk for yourself," Batman said. He had seen this coming weeks ago.

"We are not really going to let them go, are we?" Wonder Woman asked readily to stand and drag them back there.

"I don't think we an option anymore," Superman told her with an apologetic smile, "they are on their own now."

He didn't hear it what was said after. They arrived in El Paso Texas. In actuality, they had no idea of where to go from there. They couldn't go to his place because that was also where Superman lived and the same could be said about Robin and Batman. They could have gone with the Garrets, but Bart insisted not to bother the old couple. So, they ended up going to Jaime's house sneaking through the back.

"Jaime!" a little girl he imagined was his sister rushed to him dressed in pink pajamas. Jaime shed his armor and welcomed the small girl with a hug, "you are in trouble. Mom and Dad have been waiting for you with your guests."

"My guests?" he asked.

"It's Roy and Jade," Superboy said sensing them.

They went into the house where indeed Roy and Jade were sitting across the Reyes drinking some coffee.

"Oh, look at that, there is no more desert for you kids," Jade said with a smirk.

"Ehm, what's going on?" Jaime asked.

"Artemis told us what happened," Roy said, "my respects for telling the League to fu-" he was stopped from finishing that sentence by a jab from Jade.

"We came to talk to you about what you would be doing next," Jade told them, "and before you ask, no we didn't get asked to do this by anyone."

"We will leave you kids for now," the Reyes said leaving the living room and taking their little girl in the way.

The four teens took sit in the living room.

"They really did eat all the dessert," Bart said with a pout.

"You had no right coming here," Tim told them, "Blue's family is not involved on-"

"They became involved the moment they allowed the kid to run around with an alien armor," Roy told them, "but that's beside the point. We are here to help."

"How come?"

"We have a sort of agreement with the League, but is nothing official. We would like to expand," Jade said, "I guess you could call it our business."

Conner knew Roy supplied them with new technology. If it wasn't because he had seen the gizmos, he created he would have never thought of him as the inventor type. Jade, because of her background had many informants, he suspected maybe even more than the League. The League never spoke out loud of funds, but he knew these two had to get paid something. It wasn't like the had regular day jobs, especially not with their skills.

"We don't have the resources needed to help you expand your business," Conner said already planning to find a part time job until he finished college. The League used to take care of that. He was sure they would insist on funding his studies until they ended, but he wouldn't have it. They had to be completely independent.

"Actually," Tim said looking uncomfortable. It was a sight they hadn't seen in quite some time, "we do have funds." Or it was more like Tim had an inherency left to him by his late father.

Maybe it wasn't so much about the money, thought Conner. Tim had not spoken of what happened to his father a year ago, but had simply been absent for about month from any missions. He knew he had been taken in by the Batman, but nonetheless he had lost his last blood relative.

"Then it's settled," Jade said with a confident smile.

"We will think about it," Tim said returning to his serious demeanor, "but I believe you are not here just to start a partnership."

"I don't care for what the League says, you kids are almost ready," Jade said before handing them a small piece of paper. It had coordinates on them.

"Jason?" Tim asked.

"How did you? Never mind," sighed Roy, "he wants to talk to you lot. It seems he learned; don't ask me how, of what happened. I guess he thinks you might join him."

"No," Tim said frowning, "it's something else."

"Only one way to find out," Roy said pointing at the paper before he and Jade stood up, "will be seeing you around."

The four of them sat in that living room for a while looking at that paper. Jason Todd or better known as the Red Hood wanted to talk to them. Superboy knew Blue and Kid Flash had never met him, but they had surely heard of his work. He fought the bad guys, and also killed them. He was without mercy and at one point also tried to kill Batman, though he too once was his apprentice. However, it was believed he had met his final faith thanks to the Joker, but then returned full of hate and something else. Since his failed attempt to kill the Dark Knight, the young man had stuck to breaking drug and weapon merchants' backs.

"We aren't going, are we?" Jaime asked.

"Of course we are," Bart said taking the piece of paper, "who better to tell us how it is to be on our own than people who have already done it."

"They are criminals," Conner decided to remind Bart, "even if their intentions are good, taking lives is uncalled for."

"Reach soldier guts *cough*," Bart said before feeling as if his body was pinned to the couch, "that is not fair." He had told Superboy before he released him.

"We should," Robin told them, "at least just to know why he would be interested in talking with us."

888

It was the early hours of the next day when he finally made it home. He sensed his mentor was out somewhere patrolling the city. He wondered what he would say when he returned or would he just accept it and let him be?

"About time," someone said at the end of the hall. He had detected them but had thought it was one of his neighbors.

"Simon?" he asked the young teen standing in front of his door, "what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I am just playing chess. What do you think?" he snapped at him. He wondered how long he had been waiting. "I tried calling the number you gave me, but let me guess, you didn't take it with you."

"Sorry," he had indeed left the phone in his backpack. "But what was so urgent you had to come here?"

"Something is happening in Smallville. Something way out there and we need help," Simon told him before taking something out of his pocket. He handed it to Conner. It looked like a fatty string, but the moment Conner touched images started flashing images in his mind. None of them made sense, but he sensed they weren't any good. He dropped it back immediately back on Simon's hand.

"What is that?" he asked wondering if the thing was still alive.

"I think is alien," Simon told him, "I came to seek the help of the Supes and who better than to talk to than you and Clark Kent."

"Simon, it doesn't really work like that," he said opening the apartment door.

"Well, it better or we are talking alien invasion, again," he said entering.

Conner made him sit and eat something before getting him to explain what happened. The kid was putting quite the front, but he could tell he was terrified.

"A few weeks ago a pastor arrived in town and set up his church in the outskirts. A few people started going just to welcome him, but soon they became part of their congregation; then, their neighbors and then the neighbors of their neighbors and families. Now, the whole town attends the place every night."

"And what does that have to do with aliens?" Conner asked him. If it weren't for the images, he would have thought a joke gone too far.

"My parents started going too," Simon told him with a frown. He looked at the string with worry, "a few nights ago I woke up to find them in my room holding me down while they tried to put that thing in my ear. It has to be related somehow."

Conner left him for a moment to start preparing coffee and also get a jar. He made Simon put the fatty string in the jar. If that thing was meant to be used to control them, it was better if neither of them touched it.

"You believe me?" Simon asked as he watched Conner bring him some blankets.

"I do," he said handing them to him, "you need to sleep. Tomorrow we will talk about what to do."

"But-" though he did look exhausted Simon Valentine was too frightened to go to sleep.

"Clark is out for tonight, he won't come back until morning," he told the youth.

"Oh," Simon said sinking on the couch. Then, he looked at the thing in the jar "that thing."

"Won't do anything while there," Conner said returning with a cup of coffee and sitting on the other end of the couch. He turned on the TV and set the channel where an old movie was playing. He hoped it would help the kid relax and get some well-deserved rest. He could only imagine the hardship he went through to find them. His plan worked for a half hour later the boy was sleeping. Just as he was about to take the jar and place it in the fridge, he heard the phone ring. He hurried to pick it up so it wouldn't wake up Simon. He wondered who was calling at that ungodly hour.

"Sorry to bother you at this time Conner," it was Mrs. Lang and she sounded worried, "we just don't know anymore where to look. Simon Valentine, one of the town's boys, is missing. His parents remember him talking about you a while back and they wondered if he was there."

"Actually no Mrs. Lang," he said picking up the jar. Something had caught his sight.

"Are you sure? The poor boy might be looking for you and Clark," Mrs. Lang said.

"Why would he be searching for us?" he asked the woman before he saw it again. The string of fat moved.

"It doesn't matter boy, you have him, don't you?" her tone changed completely. He knew this was not really Mrs. Lang talking, "return him to us."

"Now, why should I do such a thing?" he said glaring at the thing in the jar. He wondered if it was somehow communicating with Mrs. Lang.

"You have been warned Kent. Expect a visit from us for Metropolis is next," and then she hung up.

"They are coming, aren't they?" Simon said sitting up.

"We are not going to let it happen," he said grabbing the jar and started dialing a number.

Within half an hour, he opened the door to find Jaime looking at him quite irritated and sleep deprived.

"What is so important that it can't wait until tomorrow?" he said with a glare unusual for him. Probably he wasn't a morning person.

"This," he said handing the jar to him.

"What is…" the string of fat started jumping around inside the jar as if in panic. Jaime tilted his head to the side as he listened to the scarab, "the Unity."

"That's what that church calls itself," Simon said jumping to his feet, "how did you know? And why is it behaving that way?"

Jaime gave Conner a look asking how much he should say.

"Let's just say Jaime knows a lot about aliens," Conner told him, "what is it?"

"Simply put, it's a parasite. It feeds on the life of those infected until nothing living remains, but this is too small. There has to be a source," he said handing the jar back to Conner.

"It's in Smallville," Conner told him, "and we just got confirmation that they are coming here next."

"Shit," Blue said rubbing his tired eyes. "What did I get myself into?"

"Go back to sleep," Conner told Simon, "we are going to get help."

Simon only nodded, but Conner could see the wheels of his mind working behind his eyes.

Thirty minutes after they were all together on top of the building in their uniforms.

"What else do you know about it?" Robin asked Blue.

"It's linked to its victim's physiology and like almost everything in this world; it doesn't like to be burned. As long as we destroy the source the people infected will be freed," Blue told them.

"Simon said that everyone goes to that church, that's probably where it feeds on them," Superboy told them.

"Let's get going then," Kid Flash said getting ready to run.

"We are all going together," Robin told him before pressing something on his belt and then from the clouds above descended the Superbike.

"How did you get her?" Conner said going to Sphere.

"I found her in my way here. It seems she had no interest in staying with the Team if you weren't around anymore," Robin told him, "don't worry. The League and the Team already knows."

"Good, I get to have a nap before getting there," Blue said jumping on first followed by Robin and Kid Flash.

They took off towards Smallville. In the outskirts of Metropolis, they spotted Superman.

"Why is that boy in the apartment?" he asked them worried. He recognized they were going towards Smallville.

"Alien parasite in Smallville," Superboy said as they kept flying.

"What?" Superman had asked before Superboy handed him the jar with the parasite.

"An alien parasite has taken over Smallville and plans to take control of the whole world. We are going to burn down its house," Kid Flash said getting comfortable to get at least one hour of sleep.

"Oh… do you need any-"

"We will be okay," Superboy told him, "but I would really appreciate it if you kept an eye on Simon. Mrs. Lang called looking for him and threatened to come get him. They might already be in the city."

Superman sighed and then said, "Try to come back to breakfast." He stopped following them and watched as they started their own way.

"You bet!" shouted Kid Flash as they kept going.

Conner flew side by side with Superbike. At times, he would glance at his companions. Bart and Jaime were sleeping while Tim watched the sky ahead.

"I have been thinking," Conner said trying to kill some of the last minutes before they arrived in Smallville, "what are we calling ourselves?"

"Pardon me?" Tim asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I don't want people calling us 'the kids'," he said believing that would be exactly what would happen if they didn't pick a name.

"That can wait," Tim said looking ahead, but Conner saw a smile trying to break through his serious expression.


	18. Chapter 18

Becoming Superboy 18

They had made it to Smallville and had taken them no time to find the supposed Church of Unity. At first glance, it was easy to tell something wasn't right with the inhabitants of the town. Their skins were pale, their eyes void of light, and there were tentacles sprouting out of their mouth as they connected to the giant parasite resembling a mutated squid. Definitely it wasn't right. They had gone in with a plan. Blue would knock out the civilians, Kid Flash would carry them out at a safe distance, he would distract the creature, and Robin would plant the incendiary bombs around it. Everything had been going well until he saw Kara among the congregation. The Parasite wasted no time in placing one S against another S.

Now, as he lay in a crater outside looking at the bright Kansas' night sky, he wondered if his jaw was broken, or at least fractured. He sensed her before he could hear her. Her mind was the mind of the parasite. Kara was nowhere to be found in there unless they freed her, but for that they would have to defeat the creature first. He jumped back and watched as she landed on the spot where his head used to be. This thing wasn't playing games, but neither was he.

He launched at her with his fist loaded of his tactile telekinesis. He didn't have the actual Kryptonian strength, but he was not far off. He landed a punch in her gut. She heaved for a moment before glaring at him with her dilated eyes, which quickly turned red. He raised a barrier just in time to stop her from frying his face with her heat vision. He pushed forward using the barrier staying free of harm until he was a few paces from her. She launched a punch to try to break his barrier, which would have worked had he not dissolved it the moment she did. He stepped to the side and landed a blow with both hands on the back before pinning her to the ground.

He had never tried this, and it really worried him. He placed his hands on the sides of her head before attempting to knock her out. He couldn't keep fighting her. The others had probably covered but him, but the last part of the plan was something he couldn't skip on. He was successful in entering her mind, or better said the mind of the creature which was linked to that of every person from Smallville. He cringed as he was bombarded with more information than what he had been ready to. Of course, the parasite took advantage of this and threw him off much like a rodeo bull. Supergirl punched him square in the jaw sending him back through the hole she had initially punched him out of the tent.

He called out to his teammates worried he would land on someone and hurt them. When he landed, it was on dirt and with Kid Flash looking at him worriedly.

"Stand back," he said before launching at Supergirl, who had just entered the tent. He had to stop her now. He tackled her with the force of a stampede of elephants. They broke out of the tent and through a group of trees until they were deep in the forest and far from the parasite. He hoped their link would be weaker and tried again to knock her out. This time instead of attempting to find her he pushed images into her find. The forest was burning and blazing around them. From his previous intent, he had caught this was what the creature feared the most, so he pushed the image further until she screamed in horror and lost consciousness.

He rushed back to his friends to find them outside of the tent along with the unconscious civilians.

"What about Supergirl?" Blue asked trying to see if she nearby.

"Knocked out," Superboy said landing next to them, "but not for long. Let's get this over with."

He concentrated on the tent, undid it completely and wrapped it around the creature tightly before forming a sphere around it. They didn't want anyone caught in the blaze. He heard the small beep of Robin's detonator and cringed as he did his best to keep the sphere in place. The creature inside screamed and writhed in pain until only ashes were left.

"How could we ever thank you," said a man standing up. He was dressed in the robes of a priest. He guessed this was the man Simon had spoken of, the one who brought the creature with him.

"Don't thank us yet," Blue said pointing his cannon at him before saying something in an alien langue.

"Reach trash," the priest growled before his eyes rolled back and his chest opened like a great mouth. Hundreds of tentacles launched at them, but they didn't get far. Superboy had created a barrier between them.

"Kid," Robin said handing Kid Flash the last of the incendiary bombs. He watched as the kid vibrated his molecules through his barrier before planting the bomb on the fake priest. He turned the barrier around them to surround the creature before Robin detonated the last bomb. They watched a little stunned as this creature too burned in agonizing shrieks.

"It hid among the civilians thinking we wouldn't detect him," Robin said approaching some of the ashes and getting a sample.

"What else could you expect of a parasite?" Kid Flash said stretching.

A few moments later the people of the town started to wake up and throw up the parasite out of their system. They rushed to the woods unsure of how they would explain the whole matter.

"We didn't think of that," Blue said, "what are we going to tell them?"

"I think that's a job for Superman," Conner said as he sensed the worry of the people from Smallville. They tried to recall how they arrived at that spot and why they felt so sick.

"Agree," Robin said glaring at the sample he took.

"You think there might be more?" Kid Flash asked that the rest were thinking.

"I am not sure," Robin said, "Could you send me all the information you have on it?" he asked Blue.

"You got it," Blue said rubbing his eyes. He could see he and Kid Flash were exhausted.

"Kon?" they all turned a little wary to watch Supergirl stumble out of the woods towards them, "what happened?"

"I will explain on the way home," he said.

He couldn't believe he had forgotten about her for a moment. She stumbled a little and he was by her side at once. She cringed at his touch but didn't fight him. Still, he wasn't going to place her through that after the night they had. He could see the bruises he had left on her and felt guilty though he was hurting just as bad. He stood back and used his powers instead to support her towards the Supercycle, which waited where they had asked her to. He had placed her on the seat before they took off to return to Metropolis.

"So, what happened?" she asked leaning back and closing her eyes.

"You were infected with a parasite," he started, "it took control of you and I had to fight you so the others could take it down."

"We fought?" she asked noticing for the first time his bruises.

"It was so crash," Kid Flash said with half-lidded eyes, "parasite or not, you got some cool moves."

"Ehm, thanks," she said then realizing she was sitting between Kid Flash and the Beetle. Robin watched them curious from the seat above.

The rest of the ride went quietly. They stopped when necessary to drop his friends until only Robin remained.

"Could you please take Sphere with you? I have no place for her in the apartment we have now," he asked Robin.

"Yeah, we need to look into that," Robin said as Supergirl, feeling better, left the cycle. They watched for a moment as Robin flew away with it.

"Why were you in Smallville?" he asked her as they flew the rest of the way.

"I got a call from Mrs. Lang," she said keeping her eyes ahead, "she said she had the recipe for Mrs. Kent's pie and I believed her. You can laugh if you want."

"You know I won't," he said with a frown, "I don't know why you always expect the worse of _me_. I thought after this you would change your mind."

He closed his eyes. Why the heck should he care what she thought of him? He turned his head and glared at her fiercely, but she was just looking ahead. He believed she didn't care. If someone wasn't Kryptonian, she couldn't be bothered with them. Well, he wouldn't bother with her.

"I will tell Kal to check on you in the morning," he said before he flew ahead of her without another word. She didn't try to stop him or catch up with him. That was fine with him.

He arrived as the sky started to turn red with the first lights of the day. He landed on the roof where he had left his civilian clothes. Once changed, he went back to the apartment where Clark was watching the morning news with his usual cup of coffee.

"Everything went well, I imagine," Clark said with a smile.

He went to get a cup himself and sat next to his mentor, "it worked fine." But he couldn't hide his smile. It had not been perfect, but it had gone better than he expected. Then, he remembered Supergirl, "Kara was there," he said, "she is fine now but I think you should go check on her."

"Thank you," Clark said standing at once worried about his cousin. He watched him reach for his coat ready to leave, "I won't be long."

"What did you think of my article?" he asked just as he was about to leave.

The Man of Steel froze before looking at him with a smile though he could tell it was to encourage him more than anything.

"Well?" he asked no longer fooled by the act.

"The article was good, I sent you my reply with the things you could work on," he paused for a moment and then said, "it was very informative."

"Really, is that all you got to say?" he said walking up to him with a scowl, "just informative?"

"We will talk about it later," Clark said before leaving before Conner could say anything else.

"Just like old times," he said slumping on the couch for a while.

"What's like old times?" Simon asked stepping out of Clark's bedroom. He had evidently not been sleeping much due to worry. There were heavy bags under his eyes and his skin looked pale.

"It's nothing," he said as the kid sat, "let's just say Clark and I didn't always get along."

"Bummer," he said not interested one bit, "so, what happened?"

"Some heroes went to Smallville, vanished the evil space parasite, so you know?" he hoped the kid would get some hours of sleep before leaving.

"Really, it's over? We are not looking to an alien invasion or something like that?" he asked giving Conner and incredulous look, "how do I know you aren't infected?"

"You are kidding, right?" he said leaning his head back so he could stare at the ceiling. The kid was driving him mad.

"You were gone a long time. You could have been converted to preaching the word of the Unity in that time," he said shuffling back as if a few inches apart would be the difference between life and death.

"Well, for once I could have already knocked you out, stuffed you into a suitcase and be in my merry way to Smallville. Second, I was only a few blocks away waiting with my friend to hear from the heroes before coming back." He said throwing his arms in the air, "happy?"

"No," Simon said, "but I guess it would have to do. When is breakfast?"

"When Clark comes back, he went to check on our cousin," he said flipping through the channels. He was not cooking for this brat. They had spent a good amount of the night helping him and he couldn't even say thank you.

"Kara lives close by?" he asked, his cheeks turning red immediately.

"Yeah," he said a little curious at his reaction, "she lives a few blocks away from here." More like in the other side of town, but the details didn't matter. "She has been under the weather for a while."

"Oh," he said fidgeting.

He had seen this so many times before that it was no longer funny. The kid had a crush on a girl who much older than him and didn't even know he existed. Well, he thought to himself, not that Kara noticed anyone.

"I am doing some homework, if you are hungry just use the kitchen," he said getting his backpack and laptop before he started going over the revisions of his article. Simon did go to the kitchen to get some breakfast though it was just a bowl of cereal. It didn't take him more than an hour to do the revisions before sending the article, minus his note to Clark, to Lois Lane. He remembered seeing her at the site of their return from Kid Flash's time and wondered if Superman knew then what she knew.

"Good morning Simon," Clark said coming in. "I just called your parents and told them where you are. Finish eating and wash up. You and I are going back to Smallville. Will you be fine on your own Conner?" he said the last to him.

"Yeah," he said as he worked on another project for school, "I am going to Jaime's place later. It's his birthday."

"Have fun," he said going to take a shower while Simon finished his breakfast.

"Is this common for you?" Simon asked him as he typed his latest assignment.

"What do you mean?" he asked not looking away from his screen.

"The aliens and crazy shit," Simon said with a pout.

"Language!" Clark called from his room.

"Not really," he said stopping for a moment and scratching the back of his head, "but it's over. There is no point in worrying about it anymore."

"But what if more come?" the boy asked with a dark frown already imagining the worst.

"Then we call the heroes again to help us," Conner said going back to work.

"The League?" Simon asked.

"What?" he stopped again and looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You mean the League, right? You just keep calling them heroes," Simon said.

"Not all heroes are in the League," Conner said holding back the urge to sigh.

"But you called Superman and Superboy, right? They are part of the League," Simon said though his mind seemed miles away. Something was running through his mind, "unless Superboy is not affiliated with the League and you know it."

"What are you talking about?" he said no longer able to hold back his sigh.

"Nothing," Simon said though Conner could see the wheels of his mind still turning and turning.

"All yours," Clark said coming out, "hurry, it's a long drive." Once the kid was gone he turned to Conner, "that kid is smart."

"Too smart," muttered Conner though his mentor heard him distinctly.

Half an hour later they were gone and he had time to have a quick nap before taking off to Texas. He knew they had agreed not to use the League's Zeta beams, but they had to find a better way to move around. He dreamed blank which was his preferable state of sleep. He had peace of mind. He sat meditating in an empty space just being but not doing anything.

"Conner?" he heard someone call before he opened his eyes and saw M'gann before him in her old green Martian form.

"This is not happening," he said closing his eyes again.

"Sorry for intruding into your mind like this," she said kneeling before him before he opened his eyes, "I just couldn't get hold of you and we were worried."

"We?" he asked.

"Well, we thought something was going on in Smallville and when we went to check it out we found a high mound of ash. I sensed your psychic trace and we imagined you and the rest had been there," she said with a frown.

"All is well," he said, "we defeated it and Tim took a sample with him to study. You can ask Blue for information in the creature; his armor has some knowledge of it. Now, please go away. I need to rest."

"Oh, okay," she said readily to leave.

"M'gann?" he said stopping her for a moment, "be careful, that thing was able to control Supergirl." Maybe it could control Martians too.

"Understood, thanks," she said with a small smile before fading away. He sighed and gave up meditating. Thanks to her appearance, parts of his powers were now active and he could sense the person about to knock on his door. He was up, right before tried knocking on their door.

"What?" he said and wondered what she would want so early in the morning and he was also not in a good mood. He just wanted to sleep.

"I read your paper, I want to publish it," she said stepping inside without being invited.

"Isn't there something you wish to tell me to change?" he was sure there was something that could be improved.

"It's okay, now will you just sign here and let me publish it?" she said bringing a creased piece of paper from her handbag.

"I haven't decided yet," he said going to lie on the couch.

"is this what you heroes do on your weekend? That's pretty dull especially after yesterday," she said leaning on the sofa.

"I am seeing some of my friends later and I want to rest, so please leave," he said turning away from her.

"Alright, I won't push you to sign… yet. But, you got to tell me at least what happened yesterday. I can't remember seeing Clark so worried before," she said and though she tried to hide it he heard the clear tone of concern. Well, she didn't need to bother.

"We traveled to an alternative post-apocalyptic future and helped save it from complete destruction," there, now he could get some sleep.

"C'mon kid, I will not get out of your hair until you tell me," she said trying to get a pick of his face.

"I just did," he said sitting up.

"You are not serious… are you?" she said looking at him wide eyed.

"I am," he said with a glare, "now go publish it, see if anyone believes you, and let me sleep."

"But why?" she asked before he had enough.

"BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE DO!" he shouted at the top of his lungs making her jump back. He realized what he had done before looking away from her and saying in a lower tone, "look, I am really exhausted. For you guys, it was one day but for me it was a whole week. At the top of that, last night we went to destroy an alien parasite that took over Smallville. I have only slept for," he looked at his phone, "two hours since coming back."

"I thought you guys didn't need to sleep," she said before getting a glare from him, "sorry."

"Superman can skip a few nights and at that only sleeps three or four hours when needed. Since I am half human I need more than or I start tearing throats," he said feeling one of his eyelids twitch.

"Alright, I will get out of your hair for now, but tomorrow come see me at the Daily Planet. There is something we need to talk about," she said walking towards the door.

"What?" he asked.

"If I tell you now you won't be able to sleep anymore," she said with a smirk, "see you later." And the closed the door behind her.

888

The sun was setting by the time he made it home. He had a better afternoon than he had expected, especially after a few more hours of sleep. He had seen his friends for once in a long time not plotting something or fighting some evil. It was just a birthday spent in the backyard with laughter and good friends. He also had the chance to talk to his friends about the interview Lori wanted. Before they had left to Bart's time, he would have expected a solid no from all of them, but now they were indecisive. They no longer had to worry about the League telling them what to do, but that meant a higher level of responsibility for them.

The apartment was quiet when he entered. He went to the window and watched as the nightlife of Metropolis started to stir. He changed to his uniform and left for a night patrol. He had received a call from Clark while in Smallville and told him he would stay for a few days to help people understand what happened. It seemed the League, just as M'gann had told him, had picked on what happened.

He flew around the city enjoying the sights as well as listening for any significant trouble. He decided to do a turn around the new building of the Daily Planet. It was a mighty structure containing the latest tech that any reporter would want. It was tempting to get his article published by them but then as he flew downtown he wished he wouldn't have to choose. Cat Grant even at that time was working in her glass office. She was usually painted as a party girl, but she was hard working.

An explosion interrupted his thoughts. It took him no time to know where it came from. The place was under attack at least once every week. Superman usually took care of it. He preferred to stay away from the guy as much as possible, but he guessed it would happen sooner or later.

He reached Lex Corp a second later. The top floor was on fire and he could hear the shouts of those trapped inside. He entered unharmed and reached a room where the staff was sheltering from the fire. They looked to be to the point of suffocation. He wrapped them in a protective barrier before pulling them out of the building. He placed them on the roof of another and checked if any of them needed medical attention. He had made it in time before they got seriously hurt.

"Mr. Luthor is still inside," one of them said.

Probably hiding in a safe room, he thought before returning to the building. He concentrated and sensed for Luthor. Sure enough, he found the safe room entrance near his desk, but it seemed it was not enough this time. He found the door open and the room flooded with smoke. It seemed Lex was going to have to hire a new security team.

He found the egomaniac lying on his side with what appeared to be nasty bump on the head. Whoever had tried to kill him had left the job undone hoping the fire would take care of the rest. He lifted created a shield around him and pulled him outside of the building. He hated doing this, but he couldn't leave him unconscious in case he had a concussion. He placed his hand on his forehead and forced him to wake up. The man had coughed up a storm before he was able to open his eyes. He started holding his head and flinched when he found the bump. While the man checked himself, he took the chance to extinguish the fire by cutting off the air it was feeding on.

"I guess we would cross each other's paths sooner or later," Superboy said not remembering the last time he talked to the man. It seemed an eternity ago, but he remained very unchanged.

"I would have preferred much later," Luthor said coughing a little, "I can't believe he sent the kid. Where is the respect between nemeses, you know?"

"After what you did to me, I wouldn't know," he said unable to help rolling his eyes.

"What I did to you?" Luthor asked.

"Forget it, I don't care to listen to your twisted words anymore," Superboy said turning his back on him.

"Wait a moment kid," Luthor said with a frown, "this is my first time meeting you."

"Hilarious Luthor, let's never meet again," he said readily to leave.

"I am serious!" Luthor who rarely raised his voice shouted. Superboy said turning around to face him, and then he said "I would have remembered meeting the Boy Scout's sidekick."

"I am not a sidekick…I must be crazy to do this, but what do you mean by that? Or this one of your tricks?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"Look, I am all for laughing at you tight wearing freaks, but that's just what I meant. I have never met you before," Luthor said crossing his arms.

"Project Kr?" Superboy asked.

"Never heard of it," Luthor responded.

"Camus?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We had a few dealings in the past, but I would have remembered them making a clone of Superman for me. Not that I would ever want another one your kind around unless he were under my-" Luthor frowned as he paused for a moment, "you said Project Kr, right?"

"Look, there is a robbery on the other side of town and the guy has hostages. I don't have time for this," which wasn't really the truth, but this conversation was making him very uncomfortable. Still, it worried him that someone might be messing with the memories of Luthor. "I will stop by tomorrow and bring you something, but in the meanwhile I would recommend you to talk to your allies to see if they can tell you something."

He didn't waste another moment and left. Still something kept nagging at the back of his mind but he couldn't tell what it was.


	19. Chapter 19

Becoming Superboy 19

He had agreed to meet her, but he had thought it would be at the café across the street or something equally near. Not her private office in the new building for the Daily Planet. Besides getting to see the top of the art reporting machine he had seen people he could only hope to shake their hands someday. A cup of coffee sat before him untouched as he sat across from her. Lois Lane had not said one word since he had entered and sat, that was five minutes ago. She was typing fast and he couldn't help to be curious as to what it was.

"Superboy saved Luthor last night, where was Superman?" she asked him as she kept typing.

"Dealing with other stuff," he said picking the cup of coffee and drinking from it. It was too sweet, but he swallowed before asking, "What did you need to tell me?"

"It's about Dr. Spencer," she said stopping her typing before pulling a folder from a drawer. She handed it to him, "she was spotted a few months back here."

He opened the folder where he found some pictures taken from security footage. They weren't very good, but he could make up enough of her face to recognize her.

"She was renting a storage space downtown. I already went to investigate it, but it seems she took everything out," Lois said handing him another folder. It contained some information on the storage space, "she registered under a different name, Alice Harkin. It seems that has been one of the aliases she has been using for whatever she is trying to do."

"How many months ago?" he asked her.

"Seven or eight months ago," a trace long cold she hated to admit. But Lois was not one to disappoint, "you will find the other aliases she used on the next pages along with the information of an apartment she used to rent near the storage space. I couldn't get in," she said last with a frown. It was not like her to get held back, "is not ordinary place. I thought you could check it out yourself."

"I will," he said to her putting away the folders in his backpack. He thought of what he still needed to get done that day, "probably tonight."

"Is she your mother?" Lois asked him taking him by surprise, "I mean; since you seem so invested in finding her and she also worries about you. She sent you that costume, didn't she? It didn't say so in the letter she sent me, but Clark's article mentions you have some human DNA. Is it hers?"

"No," he answered shortly.

"You are not even trying to hide is a question you don't want to answer, is it that bad?" she asked him.

Conner considered about telling her the whole truth then. She was making progress with their search and it seemed only fair she had the rest of what happened.

"Lex Luthor," he said cut and dry.

"Oh," was all she could say before leaning back on her chair.

"But something strange happened last night," he told her with a frown. He hadn't considered until then that what happened the previous night was related to this, "it was the first time I talked to him in I don't know how much time."

"Awkward much?" she asked still wrapping her mind around what she was hearing.

"You can't imagine, but the most awkward thing of all was that he couldn't remember meeting me before or his involvement with my creation," he told her massaging his temples. He had to talk to the guy later, "we are going to talk today. I guess he believed me."

"You told him that egomaniac you carry his DNA? I would have let it die if I were you," Lois said turning her chair to the window.

"For someone to mess with Luthor's memories they must be someone with a lot of resources."

"Not enough if you ask me," she said before Conner sighed.

"I have to go, I got class in half an hour," he told her.

"We are not done here," she said with a frown when he was about to get up.

"Yes you are Lane," Perry White said opening the door with a bang. The man gave a curious look at Conner. The boy of steel stood up immediately and faced the man. Here was the legend in the flesh; Perry _Bulldog_ White. After the initial surprise, he turned to Lois with narrowed spectacle eyes, "and what have I told you about spellcheck?"

"To let the interns take care of it?" she asked checking her nails.

"Just get it revised and send it to me," Perry said with a sigh, "I am getting too old for this."

"Oh please Perry, you got at least another eighty years in you," Lois said after a sharp laugh, "you will probably outlive us all."

"The way you find your stories, I don't doubt it," he said before looking at Conner, "Kent's cousin, right?"

"Yes Mr. White," he said standing straight like a soldier.

"Wait here for a sec," the old man said before leaving the office for a few minutes.

"What is it?" he asked Lois, who just shrugged as she started to check her article.

"Here you go," Mr. White said returning with two envelopes. "One is for your cousin. Make sure to tell him to bring a date with him and you too. I read your article and I think it would do you good to show your face to an event like this one. You can get an idea of who you will be competing against in the future."

Before he could ask what it was, the man was gone. He looked down at the two plain envelopes before looking at Lois. Before she had been working peacefully but now a frown marred her features.

"What is this?" he asked her before she rolled her eyes at him. He opened one of the envelopes and found two invitations to what seemed to be Mr. White's retirement celebration. He looked at Lois dumbfounded, "is this for real?"

"He still admires Clark's work," Lois admitted before looking at him in the eye, "make sure that neither of you is late."

"Of-of course not," he said putting the invitations away. A smirk grew on his face, "I can't believe this."

"You time travel, and you can't believe _this_?" she asked with a skeptical look.

"Unlike most of the surprises we get in that line of work, this one is good," he said with a smile. He started walking to the door, "see you later Ms. Lane."

"Just call me Lois!" she called out to him.

888

"Well, that's better than a no," Lori said with a smile as they sat between classes to eat something.

"I think we should look into other topics," Conner said as he showed her of other topics he had been brainstorming. He was not one to take chances, "you know, in case they say no."

They were doing well with all other assignments given to them by Mr. Global, but the most important one was still in a standstill.

"They better not, or I swear I will hunt them down to the end of the world," Lori said rubbing her hands together with a mocking evil smile. She then noticed Conner looking at her with a raised eyebrow. She blushed for an instant before looking away, "I guess my uncle does it better… when he is not getting attacked."

"Practice is all you need, I am sure," he said with a smirk. He then looked at the newspaper reporting the attack from the previous night, "how is your uncle?"

"In the VIP rooms of the Metropolis General Hospital, surrounded by his grunts," she said with a sigh. She looked torn between worry and anger. After a few moments, she said, "I visited him this morning. He should have been resting; instead he was going over who knows how many records."

"You have to admit he is a hardworking man," Conner said wondering if he was looking for traces of how he was involved with his creation.

"Yeah," she said with a smile but quickly erased it. He knew, probably like him, she felt conflicted about having any relation to Lex Luthor. "You know," she said after taking a long drink from her water, "I used to love seeing him when I was a little girl. He used to bring me the coolest gift."

"I don't doubt it," Conner said giving her a light pat on the back. She jumped in surprise before looking at him with wide eyes, "I know we live in an age of heroes and villains, but you and I know things are never that simple. I am sure you know a lot about your uncle that no one else does; probably good things. You shouldn't ignore those things just because of what others think of him."

"Easy for you to say," She said with a sad smile, "your cousin is a great guy."

"Yeah, which sets the bar very high if you ask me," he said getting up.

Lori opened her mouth to say something, but then a frown appeared on her face. She smiled after a few moments and he knew she understood. For a long time, no matter how great his articles were to be, he would be seen as Clark Kent's cousin.

8888

He landed on the top of the roof of an old apartment building, or so it seemed on the outside. Though the building was now empty and scheduled for demolition, he could sense the apartment Dr. Spencer had occupied had not been ordinary. The things that had been removed from it were not ordinary. He forced the roof's door open and slipped in bending the light around him to go unseen. There were quite a few guards inside, which was strange for a building so close to demolition. Their equipment was top of the art, which was more than he needed to know something strange was still probably inside.

He arrived at the door of the apartment and slipped in. The rooms which had once been simple were now covered with holes and fissures. He could sense the remains of energy he couldn't name. This place had also been her lab and for the way things had been removed he guessed it had not been done by her. She had run off in a hurry, her fear still impregnated the windowsill. She had rushed to the storage unit and emptied before fleeing, and all of this happened around the same time he had started to show his new powers. Was that a coincidence? He didn't think so.

He leaned on the windowsill and tried to understand what she had been thinking. He spotted a dinner with a sign of open 24 hours of the day. He looked around the shadows of the apartment. Nothing remotely resembled a stove or a fridge. He left the building and then changed to visit the dinner.

The place was old and he was sure wouldn't be around for much longer. The whole area seemed to be part of a renovation project which was announced a few months ago. Again, not something he believed to be a coincidence. He entered the diner trying to look like a lost kid. The people around looked as miserable as most of the area. He took a seat at the bar. There were very few others patrons, mostly demolition workers.

"What will it be kid?" a waitress asked him stepping before him with a small notepad. She was a timeworn woman, probably had worked here all her life.

"Coffee and a burger," he said before starting to fiddle with his phone.

While it was being prepared he allowed his senses to expand and explore every cranny of the place.

"You sure?" he heard in the back of the kitchen.

"I am sure," the waitress said and he detected fear and excitement, "I can't believe it."

"Maybe we shouldn't do this Elaine, you saw those thugs across the street," the cook told her.

"In the past forty years Peter, we never had anything exciting happen in this place. I think we should close this with a something like this," the waitress unable to hide her excitement.

"Fine, but we are closing early after this," the cook told her.

It was a few moments after that the waitress peeked from the kitchen door, saw him as if to make sure and then went back in before reappearing with something in her pocket. It was an envelope. Still, she didn't hand it to him until he got his food. She placed it in between a cloth napkin.

"Thank you," he said offering her a sincere smile.

After eating and paying, he gave them another thankful smile and then left. He tried to act normal as he left the area, but couldn't help feeling as if he was being watched. He hurried away, taking the subway and other transport that led him through different parts of the city until he no longer felt watched. It was strange. He concentrated on all the people around, but none of them seemed to be watching him.

When it finally felt safe, he changed to his uniform to start patrolling the city. Mondays, interestingly enough, were always very peaceful. This was a night when they could usually take it easy. There were generally petty crimes here and there. He stopped a few thugs from finishing some small robberies and saved a few people from getting run over. He was planning just to get back home and start in some of his assignments early, but then he felt his senses shift. He only felt this when he practiced with M'gann.

He hurried to the scene. He had expected to fight another psychic user a lot earlier than this. Unlike with Miss Martian, this person had little to no control over their powers. The middle of the street had become a crater where a man stood shouting his head off. His eyes were bloodshot and his clothes haggard as if he had been sleeping under a bridge for months.

"You want me dead! All of you! All of YOU!"

"HELP!"

He arrived just in time to catch a woman who had been blasted away by a psychic blast.

"Are you okay?" he asked the woman as he placed her at a safe distance.

"Su-Superboy!" she said shocked, "I am fine, but I could sense so much anger… I am…" but then she fainted. He rushed her to one of the arriving ambulances.

"Superboy, where is Superman?" a policeman approached him.

"Who is he?" he didn't have time to explain. He could sense the man's power growing and taking a strain on his body. This was not a natural Meta.

"All of you burn in hell!" the man shouted as the ground shook.

"Name is Leon Torsik, a vagrant that gives small trouble wherever he goes. Hooked on crack and other stuff, but had never done something like this before," the officer said a little unsure about giving this information to a child.

"He is coming this way!" the paramedic shouted as the man advanced towards tearing the street around him.

"Leon, you need to stand back!" he yelled as he stood between them. The paramedics were tending to others hurt by Leon.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he shouted before throwing a smashed up car towards them.

"You need to stop!" Superboy stopped the car in midflight and set it to the side before creating a barrier around them. "You are hurting a lot of people and yourself too!"

"You are lying! Everyone lies! He lied!" the man shouted shaking, but not out of rage. Superboy could sense not just his anger but also his pain. Whatever was doing this to him was destroying him from the inside out.

"I need to take you to a doctor Leon! I know you can feel it too. It's tearing you from the inside out!" he could feel it to the molecular level. The man was dying in the most painful of ways.

"He told me it would make me clear!" He said with his fist on the side of his head, "It doesn't feel right! It doesn't!"

"Who said that Leon? Who gave it to you?" he said advancing slowly and showing him his hands hoping he wouldn't see him as a threat even with the big red S on his chest.

"Guy in the car. It was cheap, it was free... Sample, see if I like it... I don't like it. He... he said you'd mess it up!" he said last with a glare at him before feeling as if he had been punched in the face.

"GHNNNH!" he lost count of the number of light post he broke through before crashing into the wall of a pub.

"Are you okay boy?" one of the people inside asked as he pulled himself up from the rubble. His head was pounding as if he had been hit by kryptonite hammer.

"I will be once I get my hands on him," Superboy muttered to himself. That had really hurt. He concentrated on the man and saw to his dismay that he had broken through the underground gas lines. That, plus the electricity lines which were loose was a disaster waiting to happen. He rushed back to the spot. The whole block could go up in flames at any moment if he didn't stop it.

"Everyone! Standback!" he shouted before making it to the spot. "Leon stop!"

"Ahhh! My head is going to explode! MAKE IT STOP!" Leon shouted banging on his head with his fists.

Then he saw the electricity lines connect with the gas and a raging fire started. It was so easy to destroy things with this type of power, but to save someone took more. His thoughts ran a thousand times faster than ever before. He had known the civilians were not far enough to evade the blast and just like the people that remained in the buildings around. He concentrated on every heartbeat, from the smallest to the oldest. A moment later the world around him was in flames, but the fire didn't touch him or those around him. At first, they all watched in horror believing to be their death, but that turned into amazement. They were standing in a blaze and not getting burned thanks to the barriers he had placed around them.

After realizing what had happened, he started advancing towards a raving and shouting Leon.

"Go away! Go back home! Leave me alone!" he shouted before creating a barrier around himself. "I am tearing apart!"

"You have to stop Leon! This is going to kill you…" he pushed through the barrier. He felt as if he was running through mud, but he finally reached Leon. He would knock him out and take him to a safe facility.

"No no no no no!" the man shouted just as he reached him. Leon then fell back and Superboy caught him. The fire went off as he was able to seal the gas leaks.

"Leon…" all heartbeats around him kept on beating, but one.

"Superboy, what did you do?" the officer from before approached them as he started to lie Leon down.

"Nothing, he died," Superboy said looking at the man, "his heart gave out."

"I am sorry son, I know you really tried," the policeman said placing a hand on his shoulder, "everyone here knows."

"I don't need-" but he cut his own words. It was not this man's fault but his own for not being strong enough.

"What is that?" the officer asked before Superboy saw it too. There were some black crystals in a little bag pocking out of the man's pocket. Superboy took it out, "Meth?"

"Not entirely," Superboy said with a frown taking a small piece out. He could sense the makeup of the compound was similar but bumped up countless times. It had driven Leon's body and mind into overdrive until it killed him.

"What type of monster would make something so horrible?" the policeman said before he took out a small evidence bag. Superboy gave him a questioning look. "I will make sure it gets to the labs, I swear."

Superboy divided the contents of the small bag and gave a third to the officer. He would give another third to the League and the last third for their team.

"I will find whoever is responsible," Superboy said turning to the officer.

"I don't doubt it son," the officer said before walking away.

The officer watched as Superboy left after helping with some of the debris. After he had left, he walked to a car in the following block before entering it. Inside a man cloaked in the dark waited for him.

"He is stronger than we thought though he has yet to grasp full control of his abilities," the so called officer said.

"He is making progress at the pace we set. He will be ready," the man in the cloak said.

"What about Spencer?" the man asked.

"She can run all she likes, but she can't hide. She knows that it's futile," a sharp smiled appeared below the cloak. "She only has that boy to help her and he knows nothing. And we will keep it that way."


	20. Chapter 20

Becoming Superboy 20

He watched over the city extending his senses to their limit. He wanted to stop anyone from dying like Leon. The man had led a terrible life, but he could have changed. Whoever did this didn't deserve to take that chance from him. He had already stopped two of them, knocked them out before they reached the same point Leon had. Star Labs had been able to come up with a sedative that could keep them calm until the drug burned out of their bodies. However, when they woke up, they couldn't remember anything from the people who had given it to them. As the exhaustion finally started to settle he went home to find Clark returning from Smallville.

"Sorry I took so long to come back," he said unable to ignore the tiredness in Conner's eyes.

"Are the people from Smallville okay?" he asked not wanting to talk about what happened a few nights ago.

"They were okay when you and your team defeated the Union, just worried as of why they couldn't remember the past few days," Clark said changing in a second to his suit.

"Sorry to leave you with that," Conner said wishing their team had more resources though they were just getting started.

"Don't worry about it," he said with a smile, "it was nice to visit and see everyone."

"Clark, there is something we have to talk about," Conner told him.

"I really don't want to talk about Lois," Clark said with a sigh.

"It is not about her," a nervous chuckle escaped him, "at least is not centered on her. Is about what she is helping me with."

"Finding Dr. Spender, you mean?"

"Yeah, she found me a lead and I followed it. I got this out of it," he said before showing Clark the letter, still closed.

"What does it say?" he asked.

"I don't know yet," he said not daring to pick at it with his senses. He stared at the letter with a frown. There was something about it that made his skin crawl. He placed the letter on Clark's desk, "could you please keep it for me?"

"And I thought I was the one evading the inevitable," Clark said with a sigh.

"I need to talk to Luthor," he told Clark.

"Didn't you talk to him the night you saved him?" Clark asked trying to hide his discomfort but failing miserably.

"I did," he said sitting on a chair by the table, "he didn't remember me."

"What do you mean by that?" and then Conner explained to him and saw the worry increase in his features. In the end, Clark looked at him with understanding though not willing, "are you sure you don't want the League intervening?"

"I am sure," he said before flying out.

When he finally got to the hospital, he found the window to Luthor's room open. Mercy was by his bed going over his agenda for the following day. She didn't spare him a glance as she closed the agenda and left the room.

"Took you long enough," Luthor said placing a file on his lap.

"What's all this?" he asked looking at all the stacks of files around the room.

"Since you didn't show up when we agreed I decided to search more on my own. I take it was because of the sudden appearances of those psychic freaks. No rest for the wicked, right?" Luthor said calmly.

Superboy couldn't agree more. He was exhausted from using his powers in such a large range for so long. The same could be said about Luthor. All around the room there were box files lying on top of each other. Computer files could be hacked, but old paperwork was harder to be covered. There might be a clue among all of them.

"Did you find anything?" he asked keeping his distance.

"Over there," he said pointing to a folder by his nightstand.

He went to it and opened it to find the records of Red Arrow and his cloning. It was done in the same lab where he was created, so that was a excellent clue.

"I can't remember anything related to funding that project and a lot of the related files are missing," Luthor said with a calm tone. He then looked at Superboy trying to hide his fury at being used. However, Superboy could sense them like constant waves emanating from the man, "and the lab was completely destroyed a few years ago. There was nothing to salvage."

"I am not surprised," he told them returning the file to the nightstand. "Do you really remember nothing?" he asked with a frown.

"Nothing at all," he said.

"I have heard from Martian Man Hunter that you have very high psychic defenses," otherwise the League would have already roamed through the place.

"My father was… an unusual man… but he always made sure that I was prepared for anything," Superboy could sense he was restraining a greater fury than he had sensed before.

"I don't doubt it," Conner said unable to help scratching the back of his head, "I sincerely don't know how much to tell you."

"I am surprised you are even considering telling me anything. You are not like… the previous model," he said with a smirk. "Your powers put some of his to shame."

"Referring to him like that won't make me help me decide in your favor," he wanted to sigh. It hadn't even been five minutes into the conversation without him saying derogatory about his mentor.

"And I suppose offering you a ride of your own won't be any good. Since you can fly," Luthor said with a roll of his eyes, "and let me guess, monetary contributions are also out of the question."

"I wasn't always able to fly or many of the things I do now. Your scientists considered me a failure and so did you. You wanted a Superman of your own to kill the man that has become like an older brother to me. It didn't work," Conner said, "and you also tried to get me to betray my friends by promising me powers like his."

"That does sound like me," Luthor said with a shameless smirk.

"You are unbelievable Luthor," Superboy said to him flying towards the window, "I hate that my creation had anything to do with you." And he hated that someone as nice as Lori was related to the guy.

"There is something you are hiding, an important detail, isn't there?" Luthor said leaning forwards.

"Nothing as important as finding who did this to you and trying to hide any clue to my origin," he said keeping his eyes on the view outside the window.

"You lie, I am actually surprised," Luthor said with a raised eyebrow.

"I am not him, but that doesn't mean I will not do the right thing," and then he left without giving Luthor a chance to give him another word.

He was ready to throw the towel for the night, but he just had to take another look at the place of the attack. That part of the building had been sealed because it was dangerous and for investigation purposes; little had been changed. He made sure not to touch anything as he went to the safe room. Inside he found no trace of whoever attacked Luthor. The offices were completely gone, and so were the computers, so he couldn't tell if someone from the staff had done it. He wouldn't pass Luthor hiring shady people. He found a pattern on the flames and followed it to the center of the floor and found an unusual sight. The ground was completely churned, but for the exception of a pair of footprints. He suspected a Meta immediately.

"Ohmygosh!" he heard a familiar voice say before he turned and saw Lori enter the room. He must have been really exhausted not to sense her before, "it's you, Oh wow." Her eyes were wide as she started walking towards him.

"Stop, this place is not safe," Superboy told her trying not to sound nervous. It was dark enough so that she couldn't get a good view of his face, but if she got close enough it would be a whole different story.

"Don't worry, I already checked this room out," she said with a smile before the ground gave under her. He stopped her fall immediately with his tactile telekinesis. He flew them to the top of the building and near the elevator but didn't release her.

"Could I ask you a few questions?" she asked with a nervous smile.

"What were you doing in there," he asked, "are you an employee?"

"I know what you must be thinking," she said with a nervous laugh, "but I just want to know who tried to kill my uncle and bring them to justice. Just like you guys. My name is Lori Luthor."

"Miss Luthor," he said releasing her not too gently. Lori fell to the ground on her knees and cried out, "don't interfere with our or the police's investigation. You will only get in the way and just like to place yourself in harm's way unnecessarily."

"I… but he is my uncle. I have the right to-" but he cut her off.

"Just because you are a Luthor, it doesn't mean you can do whatever you like," he didn't care if she recognized him anymore. He had sensed her deception when she walked into that room. She had known it was going to break, and that he would save her. He floated to be face to face with her and sneered, "You are an adult, stop acting like a spoiled child."

"You are the brat, not me," Lori said standing straight, "and are you going to give me that interview or Conner didn't even ask you?"

"He didn't mention about you being a Luthor," he lied, "and don't think about pulling another Lois Lane on me. You knew the ground was going to break and that I would save you."

"What are you talking about?" she said clearly shaken by his word.

"What did you think would happen? Did you think you could get the same deal as Lois Lane? Wake up Luthor, this is real life," he said with a mocking smile. "I guess the Luthor's genius gene is not as strong as their gene for lying."

"You condescending bastard!" she shouted as he started to fly away.

"Whatever you say Miss Luthor," he laughed before going back home. He hoped that with that meeting Lori would not be able to see the connection between them.

888

Lois found the envelope inside her car. She was tempted for a moment to throw it out the window and drive as fast as she could. However, something told her that this was meant for her, not in the 'blowing up in your face' way.

She had a difficult week, but she couldn't help adding a new morsel to her list of work. She opened the envelope where she sat and a small, rectangular plastic fell to her lap. She picked it up and saw half the shield of Superman in it. She immediately knew there was another half somewhere. Inside, there was also a letter.

_**If you received this letter, it means that Project Kr is asking the right questions. If this is true, his life is in great danger. You must help him. The data is scripted on the whole card. Project Kr needs to know of its contents to prepare for what N.O.W.H.E.R.E. will try to do. I am sorry for placing you in this position, but please believe me when I tell you that this is not just to protect him, but also you and Superman as well.**_

"Great, now I am a messenger," she sighed before driving towards Clark's apartment. She hoped the kid would appreciate her skipping her morning coffee to give this to him. She found Clark about to leave as she reached their hall.

"Lois? Good morning," he said surprised but also with a sincere smile.

"Cat making you go to the office?" she asked with a smirk. She sort of envied that he could work from home.

"Every once in a while," he said with a smile, "but I doubt you came here just to see what I am up to, right?"

"You got it, I am looking for Conner. That kid needs to make up his mind about the article," she said with a smirk.

He raised an eyebrow at her. He didn't believe it for a sec, but he knew she was helping Conner with his search, so he didn't question her.

"You just missed him, he already left for school," he told her.

"Darn it," she sighed before an aroma caught her attention.

Clark couldn't help chuckling, "want a cup of coffee?" he asked her knowing she wouldn't be able to resist.

"Do you even need to ask?" she said letting herself in, "Won't you be late?"

"Is a meeting held by Cat," he reminded her, "I have a good half hour to spare."

Lois realized as he gave her the warm cup that she had walked right into that one. Clark was drinking a cup too, but his eyes rarely left her. She had tried not to think about this since she found the truth, but it was hard to when his bright eyes were on her. Was he staring at her with his x-ray vision? Had he ever done something like that? Though he was from another planet, he was still a man. She felt like crossing her arms over her chest.

"Something in your mind Lois?" he asked her.

"I am just wondering where you got this coffee from, it's delicious," she said looking at the cup. She hated her father had raised her to be so honest. She knew Clark could see right through her words.

"It's Ethiopian, a friend was there not long ago and sent it to me," he said.

"A friend?" she asked holding back her sigh. She bet he probably flew there this morning and picked it himself.

"Yeah, someone you know," he said with a playful smile.

"Alright Smallville, stop playing the mysterious card; it doesn't fit you," she said feeling at ease again.

"Chloe," he told her, "Sullivan."

"My cousin? You are friends with my cousin? How did that happen? And how come she doesn't send me any of this god given coffee?" and why had Chloe never said about knowing the guy she competed against.

"We worked together on the project from Mr. Global back in college. Since then we have kept in touch," he said a little surprised that she had not been aware of this. Those two were almost like sisters.

"This morning is just full of surprises," she said before he gave her a curious look.

"In the daily life of Lois Lane, I don't doubt it," he said getting up to get another cup.

"I bet the life of Clark Kent is also pretty exciting. Besides befriending the best world reporters, you also are friends with Diana Prince; who works for DOMA, Barry Allen; a forensic from Central City and Richard Grayson; the adopted son of Bruce Wayne. You might not like people to know, but you really get around, don't you?"

"I have my net of informants just like you do," he told her leaning back on the counter.

"Share some of those with me some time, won't you?" she asked with a smile.

"You know that's not how I play the game," he told her.

"Afraid I will hear more about the dodgy Clark Kent? That maybe you and Prince have been more than friends," she said with a smile. She stood up and almost leaned her body against his as she placed the cup on the sink, "she is quite the looker. I can't imagine you missing a chance like that." This is how I play the game Smallville.

She wanted him to say no, that the beautiful woman that had shown up in this very same apartment had always just been a friend. His answer came in the form of his hand on her hip. He pulled her closer to him. She felt her stomach tighten like the first time she kissed a boy. Jonathan's face crossed her mind for a second, but she forgot about him the moment he ran his hand down.

"Maybe I should say yes," he said keeping her still when she tried to pull back and whispered in her ear, "I have never seen you act jealous before."

"In your dreams," she said shaking. She muffled a scream when he picked her up and sat her on the counter before leaning forwards and kissing her. Just like that night last week, he poured everything into the kiss stealing away her breath and her inhibition. She kissed him back like the many times she wished she had when he saved her. Now, sitting on his counter and getting ravished by him, it felt like a dream.

"Oh Lois," her heart almost stopped when she felt his fingers undo the buttons of her blouse. He was staring at her bra encased breasts like a starving man. She guessed then that he had never picked, and for some reason to made her upset. He wouldn't break the rules for her? "Lois…" he said her name as he started kissing her neck, and then down her collar bone.

Her anger disappeared as his lips went down to the crest of her bra. But he stopped there before looking up at her with pleading eyes. Her mouth went dry as she tried to form words, though she wasn't even sure what she would say. He tilted his head innocently before she pulled him back up by his tie and then started undoing it and the buttons of his shirt.

"If Grant calls," she said struggling with the buttons, "I swear I will murder her."

He laughed as he removed his jacket and then helped her with the last of the buttons. They both froze as it dawned on them what they were doing. Then, he broke into a soft laugh before leaning forwards and placing a chaste kiss on her lips. At the same time, his hand snuck around and undid her bra.

"Dammit," he said before pulling back.

"What?" she asked as he helped her put her bra on again.

"He must have forgotten something," he said running a hand through disordered hair. A few moments later they were both dressed and sitting across from each other drinking coffee again.

"Another awkward moment to add to our collection, right?" she asked him before they heard Conner use his key to open the door. He stood there for a moment in shock before raising an eyebrow at them.

"Hey kid, I need to talk to you," Lois said standing.

"Really?" he asked a smile broke on his face, "and here I thought it had something with what was happening before I came back." He had pointed at his neck before Lois clapped her hand over hers. "His," he said with a laugh before she turned and saw the lipstick on his neck. How could they have missed that?

"I hope you don't expect the talk of the bird and bees," she said though she was sure her cheeks were red.

A cell phone started to ring which Clark was fast to answer.

"I am already on my way Cat," he said giving Lois and apologetic smile before rushing to leave.

"He could be there in a second," she said crossing her arms.

"You should break up with Jonathan Carroll before you two go any further," he told her as he retrieved a book from the couch. Before she could reply to that, he asked with a frown, "What did you want to talk about?"

"I got another letter from Dr. Spencer," she said before showing it to him and the piece of plastic that came with it. "Got any idea where the other half could be?"

"I do," he said before walking to Clark's desk and pulling the letter from his drawer.

"You work fast, don't you?" she said as he walked back and opened it. All the insecurities of what he would find in there were gone when he read the letter Dr. Spencer had written to Lois.

As they had expected, a matching card came with it.


	21. Chapter 21

Becoming Superboy 21

Life changed always around him, his own life and that of others. Most people were used to change, but usually with what was considered standard change like growing up, moving out of home, and so on. The type of change people in his line of work went through was something else. The change in his powers for example had come out of nowhere. It wasn't like he just hit puberty. He had already gotten used to the idea that his powers would consist of strength and a few enhanced senses, but the moment he forgot about ever wanting to be anything else, they changed. He wondered even then what had triggered the change. Had it been him or someone else? Had it been Dr. Spencer or the mysterious N.O.W.H.E.R.E.? The way his friends treated him wasn't different, but the view of the world towards him definitely had. For starters, they now knew he existed.

He understood that change was a natural part of , he wondered if there would a time when the change would be more about a change of uniform or a new girlfriend. Instead of having a puzzle dropped on his lap about his real origin and the purpose he was created for.

As he thought of what he read in Dr. Spencer's letter the more he realized that maybe things would always be this jumbled. The changes would keep on coming like a train wreck throwing him off every single waking moment of his life. Well, at least he wasn't bored.

**If things have gone as planned, Lois Lane will bring you the other half of the card. I know this will leave you with more questions than answers, but I believe that you, Ms. Lane and those you trust will be able to eventually make sense of this. I know you Project Kr, and I know you are wondering why I am not giving you all that you need to know to fight our enemy; N.O.W.H.E.R.E. but the truth is that I am. Knowing too much at once could be your downfall or the death of someone close to you. I ask you to trust me like you used to. I ask you to believe that no matter what you hear and see, you trust in yourself. You are not just a clone, you never have been.**

He sat in silence as Lois read the letter after him. She too was silent after she finished reading it.

Lois couldn't help to be remembered of her mother since then long gone. This woman, for whatever reason, had betrayed this organization and gone to help this boy. He was not her son, but she wondered if seeing him being created had brought this change of heart. Or was it something else they didn't know yet? Maybe she had been saved by Superman. Surely she had little to no contact with Luthor, and if she did it wasn't because of him that she cared to protect Conner. The man left a very bitter taste in your mind after meeting him. Not that Conner was a weakling or anything, but she could see the confusion that all of this brought him. He didn't show it, but she didn't need to be psychic to know it was not something he had expected in his life, cape or no cape.

After finding Dr. Spencer's hiding place, Conner wondered if she was still on the run. With this letter and the one that Lois received, he believed she was and felt a heavy weight lift off him. Still, what she was writing to him was making the detail of Luthor being his human donor seems like a trivial matter. When she wrote that he was more than just a clone, he believed she was not just giving him kind words.

He picked the two cards and placed them together. He was not a technological genius, but the moment they turned into one, he sensed this was technology he had not come across before. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up on alert as the shield in the center of the card started blinking red. He placed the card on the small table and watched as the card turned black, but the shield remained a steady red. He had heard Lois gasp before she rushed to close the curtains and turned off the lights. He didn't know how she knew this, but it was the right thing to do.

Once they were emerged in darkness with the red S shining it floated on the table until it was a few inches from his face. Something like a scanner came on and scanned his face before it pulled back a few feet and started projecting an image.

**N.O.W.H.E.R.E.**

White letters floated in from of them. There was no logo just white letters. Then it displayed something like a letter. Lois knew the format well. She had seen her father write military orders before. Whoever N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was, they were not playing games.

**August 16, 2017**

**To: All active N.O.W.H.E.R.E agents.**

**Project Kr Order number 834**

**Subject: Suppression of 3****rd**** Parties and Others **

**By 3****rd**** parties, referring to those whose involvement is undesirable and whose management won't cause any distraction, or delay on the success of N.O.W.H.E.R.E.s' purpose.**

**By Others, referring to those involved in Project Kr, but not subject to the full management as they will either be missed and place N.O.W.H.E.R.E.s' objective at risk or are still needed for its purpose.**

**Due to the recent activation of Project Kr's main abilities all 3****rd**** parties which try to find its real purpose must be disposed of. It will be executed in a manner in which authorities; local or otherwise won't attract attention and be seen as missing person or accident. All technological access of N.O.W.H.E.R.E is at disposal to make sure there is no issue with this task.**

**However, in case that Other's gain knowledge, the way it will be handled will be through the rearranging of memories and evidence they have found.**

**Others:**

**Amanda Waller**

**Artemis Crock**

**Barbara Gordon**

**Bartholomew Allen (Barry)**

**Bartholomew Allen II (Bart)**

**Bruce Wayne**

**Cassandra Cain**

**Clark Kent**

**Damian Wayne**

**Diana Prince**

**Dinah Laurel Lance**

**Iris West**

**Kaldur'ahmt**

**Kara El**

**Jade Nguyen**

**Jaime Reyes**

**Jason Todd**

**J'onn J'onzz**

**Lana Lang**

**Lex Luthor**

**Lois Lane**

**Lori Luthor**

**M'gann M'orzz**

**Oliver Queen**

**Ray Palmer**

**Richard Grayson**

**Roy Harper**

**Roy Harper's Clone**

**Stephanie Brown**

**Tim Drake**

**Wallace (Wally) West**

"This has to be a joke," Superboy said using his powers to open the curtains. He knew what followed was detailed information on the people mentioned in the list. The card deactivated the moment light hit it.

"I guess Luthor got a bit too close to the truth," Lois said standing up. Her name was on that list, which meant they wanted her alive. But, the idea of having her memories changed really worried her. She had her backups, but if N.O.W.H.E.R.E had this type of technology, did she really stand a chance? In reality, as a reporter what support did she have? Even the government was wary of her involvement with any topic. If it wasn't for her father, she was sure she would have disappeared a long time ago.

"The last name, Wally West…" he started but stopped. He like many of the younger heroes didn't feel it was fair for the world to not know of the sacrifices they committed. Wally was remembered by them and his parents, but what about of the world that he saved. They also deserved to know, didn't they?

"C'mon kid, Dr. Spencer said you could trust me, is he a bad guy?" she asked him though she was sure he wasn't. The only bad guy that she could think of on that list was Luthor, and he was only there because he funded CADMUS. Lori on the other hand worried him. She was sure the young woman was no threat to the hero community or anyone.

"Not at all," he looked at her with what she recognized immediately as discomfort, "he died while we were trying to stop the Reach invasion. He was a hero in retirement. His powers were taking a toll on his body but hid that fact from the League and allowed them to think he just wasn't up for the life of a hero." Their friend had been in a lot of pain and had only allowed a few to know of this. He had run the test himself and found the running was wearing his muscles out. He had tried to crack down why it was like this for him and not the Flash, and hoped to find a solution, but for naught. Eventually, it got to the point where he wouldn't run unless actually necessary. He chose then to retire and Artemis followed him to help him sell the story that he just didn't want the life of a hero anymore. It was the first time he shared this with someone, especially outside of the League or the Team.

"Oh," she said taking a seat again, "I take those people are not your everyday citizens."

She had recognized some names, such as Richard Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake as being under the care at one point or another of Bruce Wayne. After meeting Richard Grayson last Friday, she had gone and done some search on his benefactor. Though she found, odd Conner didn't make any issue about Jason Todd as he was reported dead a few years back. Then there was Damian Wayne. She didn't recall Bruce Wayne as having any close relatives or children of his own. Some of the other names she could relate to the League and others were a complete mystery.

"How could they know?" Conner said picking the card, which had returned to its original light blue color, "and why Wally? Also, why the Martians, they have to know their psychic abilities surpass any in Earth." Nothing made sense.

"Earth to Conner," Lois said standing in front of him with her hands on her hips, "mind sharing what's going through that half-baked brain of yours? I guess the names other than Luthor or mine are actually part of the hero community or at least involved with it."

"Yeah," Superboy said glaring at the card. He wondered if he should destroy it. If that information fell into the wrong hands, it could rip the little bit of normality out of their lives.

"Maybe you should tell the League about this," Lois said after a long moment of silence. If she guessed right, some of those names were not your everyday capes.

"I can't," Conner told her, "if they know their identities, then they also know of their families. They won't kill the people in the list, but the rest are free game."

"I see," as a reporter she had a great memory for names and wondered if she would be able to find a way to tip them off without allowing N.O.W.H.E.R.E to realize it. Then, as she saw Conner pace the living room back and forth, she realized she was out of her league. If someone with links to the League or the hero community couldn't do it, there was no way she would be able to.

"Ms. Lane…" Conner started to say.

"Lois," she corrected him. He made her feel old every time he called her Ms. Lane.

"Lois, I believe it will be better for you to no longer follow this story. It's getting too dangerous. If they were able to get to a man like Luthor, they would surely get to you too if they found out of what you know. I don't want you going through that. It wouldn't be fair," she had become a valued ally and sort of a friend.

"Too late for that," Lois said crossing her arms, "that letter was written way before we met. This is my business as much as yours. I can't promise you that they won't realize it, but I will try to be more careful."

"Clark was right," he said with a half-hearted smile, "you are too damn stubborn."

"I will take that as a compliment from the men that can bench press mountains. So, have you spoken to any of the people on the list about what is going on?" she asked him.

"Clark knows some of it, especially where Luthor is involved and a close friend," he told her.

"Whom?" She asked wondering if it was a cape or just an average person like herself.

She corrected herself because she was not average. She never truly had been since his father had climbed ranks to brush shoulders with some of the agencies that supposedly didn't exist. Since her mother died had made things even more out of the average, and she found she didn't mind it. Yeah, she had to look after her younger sibling for most of her childhood and teenage years, but it was worth it. She had met so many amazing people. Was this the reason why non-powered people went into the hero business? Of course not, she thought, they probably had better reasons that just the thrill of it, but maybe it was one of the perks.

"I can't tell you more about him," he was fine with her knowing his identity. But, risking that of the rest was not okay with him, "but I will talk to him about getting in contact with you so he can keep you updated with what he finds."

"Fine," she sighed before going to the door, "c'mon I will give you a ride to school."

"You don't have to do that," he told her picking his backpack and the book he had forgotten that morning.

"But I do," she said waiting for him at the door, "I was going there anyways."

"Why is that?" he asked wondering what a famous reporter like her would want at the college. She had graduated quite a few years back.

"I will explain in the way," she said with a smile, "but let's just say it will work to our advantage."

8888

He could sense change and hoped it wasn't anything major. He had enough with what he had learned today, and what he and his friends would be doing the next day.

"Conner!" Lori waved her arm in the air frantically outside of the classroom, "where have you been?" she asked rushing to him with wide, excited eyes.

"I forgot my book back at home and got side tracked, is there something wrong?" He asked her before seeing their classmates had very similar looks to hers as they talked to some of the major news figures of the city. Among them was Clark, who looked very uncomfortable as young women kept trying to cling to his arm. Conner wasn't sure if this was an act or not, but the moment he spotted them he disengaged from the students and hurried to them.

"You knew?" he asked Lois accusingly.

"Don't tell me Grant didn't tell you until this morning," Lois said trying to hold back a smile.

"Pretty much," he said running a hand down his face, "I don't have time for this."

"Look at the Brightside Smallville, we get to know the future competition," Lois said placing a hand on Conner and Lori's shoulders.

"What is happening?" Conner gave up on Clark and Lois giving him an answer and turned again to Lori.

"For what I understand, Professor Global is going to have us partner with a reporter for mentoring on a story to write on our own besides the partner project. It seems a lot of people complained about having their most significant grade come from shared work instead of their own," Lori said looking slightly embarrassed. He wondered if she thought herself as a burden, which of course he didn't think unless she was placing herself in unnecessary danger.

"So, who are you going to pick Lois?" they turned to find Jonathan Carroll trying to give a friendly smile, but the way he stared at Clark spoke volumes of resentment. Conner wondered if he knew what was going on between Clark and Lois. He probably had his suspicions as if he knew he had almost caught them red handed Carroll would already be throwing punches at Clark not that would do him any good.

"Oh, I have no idea yet," she said looking around. Most of the students had already noticed her but were too intimidated to approach her, "someone with a backbone." She gave Lori and Conner a confident smile and ignored the way Jonathan glared at the Kents.

Though he was the youngest of all of them, he felt like the most mature. After six years with the Team, he was used to seeing teenage drama around him, and this was definitely teen drama. He wanted to shout at them to act like adults, but then again what did he know about being an adult with a name like Superboy. He was almost eight years old, and the initial idea he had about being an adult had changed a lot in his short life. He had once believed after turning eighteen people changed, but that was rarely the case. They did mature, but their foundation remained the same. He wondered what made people adults. Some of the Leaguers said they were no longer children, through their physic said otherwise. If he were to ask any child, he would probably be told that an adult was someone older, with a family and a job. There were people under eighteen that already fell in that coalification but were still considered children because of their age. If he was to ask someone older they might say the same, but add that they contributed to society. However, many young contributed to society too. Was it a state of mind then? Was it about being responsible for yourself and others? (He knew quite a few that were and were not yet allowed into bars.)

"Let's get inside," Clark told him, "if Mr. Global is still the same, I bet that he will lock us all out if we are not in by the time class starts."

"That does sound like him," Lois said before they went inside.

As they filed in and waited for Professor Global his thoughts turned back to what N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was; a deadly mystery. They were the ones behind his creation, the creators of that curtain known as Cadmus, and major trickster to get to Luthor, but to what purpose, he didn't know. He was stuck at the physical age of sixteen, though powerful he was no Superman, and for some reason they needed others around to make their plan work. Or was it simply not to bring too much attention to them? Either way, he didn't see what they wanted him for. All the programming in his mind was taken off a long time ago so they could not control him.

888

"I told you it would work in our favor," Lois said they ate in the cafeteria of the school. He had placed a TK barrier around them so they would not be heard by the rest of the patrons. She had chosen him to tutor him through his last project for the class. They would continue to have an excuse to talk without getting too much attention. Clark had chosen Lori as he wanted to keep a close eye on her because of the attempt on Lex Luthor. However, as they had left the class early to plan, he noticed Jonathan Carroll was not happy at all with the outcome. Since Lois was working with him, it meant that she would probably see Clark more. He got where the guy came from, but he also believed he should man up and confront Lois about it.

"Something else in your mind?" Lois asked when she saw that same lost look Clark had when his mind was somewhere else.

"You need to break up with Jonathan Carroll," he told her with such a straight face that she could only stare at him in shock for a moment.

"That is none of your business," she snapped at him after getting hold of herself.

"You are probably right," he told her still with such a calm demeanor that she felt like a teenager being caught by her parents as she snuck out with a boy. "But it isn't fair for either one of them. You know how Clark feels about you, and you shouldn't lie to Carroll even if your feelings for him are not the same as his."

"Mind your own goddamn business," she said with greeted teeth. She was again fifteen sitting in her father's office as he reprimanded her for running away from the base to see a concert with what he called shady individuals.

"Fine," he said though he would make sure to remind her if she continued to act like a confused teenager. She was a woman in her thirties; she should know what she wanted. "So what advice do you have for me?"

"Write something you know will stick to the front pages," she told comfortably as they were once again in her territory. However, the skeptical look he gave her, told her she was not meant to be a mentor, "something that will grab people's attention."

"Ehmm," he said looking away from her. He remembered the first time he had talked to Clark about studying journalism. He had chosen the career in the pursuit of the truth, not to sell papers though he couldn't deny that was part of it. Lois had her awards, but Clark was recognized as one of the most humanitarian reporters out there. He would take that any day over polls.

"Oh please, you want to make it big, don't you?" didn't he? She thought back on Clark and how he usually looked away from the flashy news, instead to look at the human side of things. He didn't need to write about capes, even though he did when pushed by Grant, to get people to read his stories. Then, she remembered this boy had grown around the League and other young heroes. Of course, his moral radar was way up there and she wondered if she had what was necessary to teach him anything. Seriously, he had Superman as his mentor and probably got advice from the most selfless people in the planet. She probably sounded shallow to him, "what would like to write about?" she asked doing her best not to lose her upbeat tone.

He heard her, but he also sensed her worry. Something the League and Team had taught him early on was not to look down on people, but instead placed himself in their place. He knew she was smart, brave and confident woman, but there was also a double edge to personalities. Superman, though many didn't say it out loud, was a bit… okay, very condescending when it came to humans. Then again, when everyone was as fragile as glass in comparison to you, it made it difficult not to worry about them. However, people like Batman, and Green Arrow had changed his view considerably; he still worried a lot about humans but knew they were more capable than what he credited them for. Lois might be smart, brave and confident, but it all probably came from sacrifice. He knew enough about her to know she had to keep a firm façade around her family as they moved all over the world with one of the strictest generals of the country as the head of the family. She was raised as a soldier and he felt a sort of resonance with her because of it. She had been groomed to always be the best at what she did, and as a reporter, this was usually represented with awards and first pages.

"Did you fry a circuit?" she asked because of the long silence. He raised his hand to ask her for a moment as he thought. Of course, he was thinking seriously about it unlike most young men who jumped into boastings and thoughtless answers. This was a trait that she thought admirable and also annoying, if only because it reminded her too much of the first time she saw Clark writing an article. He would be staring at his screen for minutes without typing a word before unleashing a storm of words and statements that many times had left her speechless. She usually just wrote what was in her mind without little thought and made her feel like the lesser of the two. And Smallville wondered why she made fun of him. However, his calm demeanor before all she threw at him usually made her even more uncomfortable. She loved it when he could no longer hold his word back. If and when he countered her, she often found she couldn't help smiling. He knew how to get under her skin, even if he didn't mean to, but she could do just the same to him. Wait! When had her thoughts turned solely on Smallville? Thankfully Conner was still deep in thought, so he didn't notice she had spaced out.

"I want my articles to be noticed, but if only to bring more awareness," he told her. There was an upside to being a major league reporter. His articles would get more attention, and hopefully would bring reactions on a greater scale. "As to what I want to write about, I want to write about displaced youth."

"Isn't that a bit too close to the article Clark and I just checked for you?" she asked.

"Is linked, yes," he had written about kids who ran away from homes where they were not missed. It was scary but true. A good number of runaways usually told their guardians, but they didn't care. "But I want to expand on it. On that first article, I only did research through books and the internet. I realized that it was the reason why I don't feel happy with it. I am losing the actual statements of people who have gone through it."

"Because of Clark's article on the abducted women," Lois said remembering that even she had been waiting for the follow-up closely. Clark, like her, weren't afraid to go places to get the truth.

"Sort of," Actually, it was very true, "so I hope you don't mind if I don't get that published."

"Do I…" she started to raise her voice but then took a deep breath. This was not Smallville, well, he was his clone but that didn't mean she could shout at him like she shouted at Smallville. "Fine, but I want you to tell me what Clark's reaction is when you tell him." It would probably be priceless.

"I already did. He said he was proud that I decided to take the subject more seriously and bring more light into it," he told her.

"Of course he did," she said staving a French fry on the ketchup. Leave it to Mr. Perfect to find the perfect teaching moment in every whim of this kid. The guy probably pampered him and allowed him to do as he liked. Ha, she laughed internally. Smallville wouldn't stand a chance with a regular kid.

"Ms… I mean, Lois," he said before looked up at him. He could sense her bitterness at this revelation though he had a little trouble understanding. Instead, he told her his reasoning behind his change of mind, "I have wanted to follow in his footsteps for most of my life, but you know that I am not like him." She had noticed last Thanks Giving when he didn't rat on her with the League. "Clark only wants to bring awareness, but I want reactions. I want people to do something about the news instead of the constant indifference they show."

"Then shouldn't you become a politician instead?" she asked him with a smirk. He was dreamer just like Smallville even he said otherwise.

"I did think about it," he told her taking her by surprise, "but since I don't age, it would be hard to explain why someone who looks like me would be so interested in politics. As part of the news, is only my name that people see."

"What do you mean by that?" she knew he looked young, but what he had just told her made something in her gut clench.

"I have looked just like this for almost eight years," he told her, "and no matter how much time passes, I will always be physically sixteen."

"Oh," she said but he merely shrugged which made her realize this was something he had come to accept a long time ago. He was created to replace Superman, but he would never really be a man in the eyes of the world no matter how mature he behaved. He would probably still be Superboy even fifty years from that day. He would watch everyone else around him age, and see new young heroes arrive. They would see him as one of their own, but he would never truly be one of them. The gut clenching feeling became stronger.

"You don't need to feel sorry for me," he told her sharply and saw a glimpse of that temper he tried to keep a lid on most of the time. "In the other hand, I will make sure to send you roses when you start getting crowfeet." She wondered if Clark was the same when you poked at his pride, but didn't push the issue any further. When she saw he was not one bit sorry for what he said she found liking him more.

"I got things to do this weekend," she told him acting as if his last words had gone unsaid. She brought out her phone to look at her schedule.

"So do I," he said as all anger evaporated from his face and was replaced with wariness.

"Another crazy adventure?" she asked him.

"You could say so," he said poking his French fry into the ketchup.

"You know you can trust me," she told him leaning forwards, "so what is it? Another trip in time?"

"No," he couldn't help laughing at her curious face, but decided to give in, "have you heard about the Red Hood?"

"You mean the maniac that tried to take over Gotham? Isn't that bit more on Batman's alley?" and not to forget he had tried to kill Batman, or so the rumors said.

"He wants to talk to us," Conner told her.

"You know that is a trap, right?" she couldn't believe he was so trusting.

"Our team is fit to counter anything he and his friends throw at us," he told her, "what really worries me is that he might actually want to talk to us. He has a way of getting to you."

"It sounds like you have met him before," she said with a frown. If he had, why hadn't he brought the guy to justice?

"We met before he was the Red Hood," and she thought that made sense. "We used to be teammates," okay, that she had trouble with.

"You mean, he used to be a cape?" she asked her.

"We didn't get along, at all," Conner said, "but I know how to handle his words. The rest I am not so sure."

"But you are still letting them go?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said waiting for her advice.

"Then that means you do trust them," she received a skeptical look, "if you didn't, would you really allow them to go. You could probably stop them without breaking a sweat."

"Ms. Lane," he started.

"Lois, call me Lois," she said with a sigh.

"Lois, thank you," he said smiling that smile she had seen for so many years sitting across from her when Clark thought she didn't notice. God, what had she gotten into? She hoped Clark wasn't having any better luck than her.

888

Clark waved goodbye at the young woman as he started for his car. Lori was a very talkative young lady. She wouldn't have any trouble finding the words to tell her stories. He, on the other hand, thought too much of what he said and many times felt like he was writing a scientific report. He would rewrite an article so many times, that if it weren't for his super speed he would be out of a job. After getting some work done at home, he went out to look at some apartments. Though Conner didn't complain, he didn't think it was fair for him to crash on the couch every night. Back of steel or not, it wasn't comfortable.

He knew his price range and was fast to work out the ones worth looking into with the realtor. He needed at least two bedrooms, with thick walls preferably… not that their super hearing would make things less awkward. That morning had been proof of it.

"…perfect for gatherings and…" the realtor agent was going through her routine as they entered the living room. It was immense enough to make him wonder if there had been a mistake on the price. He looked at the flyer again and saw the price was right. It was an apartment meant for a big family. Heck, it would probably fit his whole home in Smallville and some more.

"Is this price right?" he said interrupting the realtor and pointing to the price.

"I know, right?" the realtor said with a charming smile, "the price just recently went down. Even I am thinking of moving to this building."

"Isn't it too cheap?" he checked the foundation with his x-ray vision but found no fault. It was a very sound building and the view was just breathtaking. They were on the twentieth floor and he could see the sun setting.

"You know rich folk, sometimes they remember they have hearts," she said before he looked at the back of the flyer. The building was owned by Wayne Enterprises. This had to be a joke.

"Excuse me for a moment," he told her before entering one of the three bedrooms. He dialed a number he knew too well.

"You will still be paying rent," Bruce told him when he answered.

"How did you do it?" Clark asked curiously. He hadn't talked to anyone, but Conner about getting a bigger place and Conner was far from the gossiping kind.

"It wasn't hard to figure out when Barry told me about the party you forgot to invite us to," and Clark heard the mock behind the rich playboy.

"It's not the right price," he told Bruce.

"Have you ever heard the saying 'don't look a gift horse in the mouth'?" Bruce said calmly which was starting to irritate him. "Besides, I made sure all other apartments around that one is empty. Less likely you and Conner will be spied on."

"So it is more out of security?" he thought it made sense.

"Of course, I am still a business man," of course it was also because Clark was his friend. But, if it would make him accept the offer he would let him believe as he liked.

"Fine then," he said, "and thanks." He returned to the realtor who was watching the sunset in awe.

"What do you say Mr. Kent," she asked him when she realized he had returned.

"When can we move in?" he asked her with a smile. The realtor woman felt her cheeks redden under his gaze. She was thankful for the well-timed sunset to hide it.

"If we sign the papers today, starting tomorrow," she told him digging in her briefcase for said paperwork. She had known he would like the place. She presented them to him, "I am sure your wife will love it," she threw her hook out there.

"Oh, I am not married," Clark told her as he read over the contract, "it is just me and my cousin."

"Is that so?" she said unable to hold her smile.

After they had left the building and he had started towards his car, he heard the woman's frantic heart. He wondered if she was okay as he turned to see her hurrying towards him. She opened her mouth to say something but then only shoved something into his hands before hurrying away. He worried for a moment as she was wearing very high heels. Then, he looked down at what she placed in his hand and found a small piece of paper with her name and number on it. That had been unexpected, he thought putting the paper in his pocket more out of respect than anything. It wasn't the first time a woman had given him his number, but he usually accepted out of politeness. Okay, so he had called a few, but after a while he had found those relations short lived. Because of his work and because of that secret he couldn't share with them.

He sighed before getting into his car and driving home. He would go out and find more about the missing women before going back home for a deserved rest; if only.


	22. Chapter 22

Becoming Superboy 22 (Clark Kent; Undercover Journalist)

Sometimes being Superman didn't make things easy. Flying through the city usually made things go quiet. It was something he tried to do more during the night, when crime was higher. But for what he needed to do, he needed for his target to be unaware of his presence. He could sit in his living room and sort through the conversation that went through the city. However, there were times when things went unsaid, which made it clearer that it was one man doing it. If there were screams or pleading, he didn't allow it.

This was then a job for Clark Kent; undercover journalist. He had dug through his closet looking for that pair of jeans Cat had forced on him (not literally, of course), a t-shirt he usually wore when he wasn't planning on leaving the apartment, his old leather jacket and a pair of black boots he borrowed from Conner. The previous nights he had gone to the shelters as a volunteer. He had talked to some of the women at the shelters who knew the missing women. There was really no relation between the women but the being homeless and offered a job by some mysterious man down at Swenson and Twain Avenue.

The street was nothing unusual in comparison to the rest of the slums. There was crime, prostitution, and other deeds that usually went unpunished. It was of the places where even Superman didn't usually get much cooperation. He lit a cigar as he walked down the street trying to blend as much as he could with the crowd. His hair was a complete mess and he was wearing shades. No Clark Kent here, just a regular Joe with nothing better to do with his weekend.

"Hey man, want to have a good time?" reaching one of the corners of Swenson he was approached by a girl. She didn't look over seventeen, but there she was. He bit his tongue to keep from asking how old she was and if her parents knew where she was.

"Not with a brat," he told her passing.

"Asshole," the girl muttered before she returned to her little group in the corner. They were laughing at the girl's intent. She hadn't been doing this for long.

"Let him be, he is probably gay," one of the older women told the girl. If that would keep them from trying that again, he hoped they really believed it.

He got to the bar in the intersection and went in. He pushed his way through to the front of the bar where he ordered a beer and listened to what was going around the bar and the street. He listened specially to the voices of women. The ones in the corner were talking about the missing women, and how they should stay together for as long as they could. It was the sort of thing that surprised him about people. Those women, though in a place where didn't want to be, were protective of one another.

"You are not a cop, are you?" someone asked snapping his attention back to where he was. He turned around to meet a man about his age, but who had seen the rougher side of life. There were dark eye bags under his eyes; his hair was a greater mess than his own with faded dye here and there, and clothes no bum would steal.

"Are you?" he asked turning around and leaning against the bar.

"Just making sure man, have never seen you around here," he said and Clark cursed in his mind for being noticed.

"I am new in town," he said rolling his eyes in annoyance, "you selling?"

"Depends, what you are looking for?" he asked in a hushing voice and leaning forwards, "if is company you are looking for, I can get you anything you want, even yours truly."

"I am good," he said unable to help his laugh, "just want to get plastered before I have to go back to work."

"Have you considered doing another sort of jobs?" he asked with a cat-like smile.

"If is the same line of work as your friends, I will pass," he said before ordering another beer.

"Too bad," the man said giving him an appreciative look, "I am usually in that corner if you change your mind about anything."

"Sure," he said before he was left alone.

"Scum is scum wherever you go, right?" the bartender said handing him his beer.

"Yeah," he said laughing.

"The guy only sells crap, if you want something good you just let me know," he resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Will do," he said taking a long drink from his bottle. If his Pa could see him now, powers or no powers, he would drag him out of the place by the neck of his shirt.

An hour passed and he kept ordering beers. When the night started to get rowdy, he opted to leave. He exited and lit another cigar before leaning on the wall outside the bar. It was not an easy spot to be in. It had been hard before to listen to all that went on that street and the motels in the area but to see it now was something else. He knew he had to let humans make their own choices but sometimes it was just hard to watch. He couldn't, and didn't have the right to make them do anything. He could only listen and try to help them reach their real potential. He knew they could be better.

"I am still not drunk enough to sleep with a kid," he said to the teen looking up at him. It was the same girl as before.

"When will you be?" she asked with a brightly painted smile.

"There isn't enough buzz in the world for that to happen," he told her taking off his sunglasses.

"You are gay then?" the girl asked, "Because I have this friend…"

"I am not," he said looking directly at her.

"Then why are you here? There are literally hundreds of bars in the slums, but you came to this one," she gave him a skeptical look, "are you a cop? Because if you are, and I ask you, you are supposed to tell me."

"Why is every… never mind. No, I am not a cop," he said with a sigh but then noticed the girl was still looking at him curiously, "could I trust you with a secret?"

"You are a cop," she said crossing her arms over her small chest.

"I am not, but I am investigating the disappearances that have been going on this street. Do you know anything that could help?" if she didn't, he could only hope she would know someone who did.

"Not much really. I have been here only for a few days. I heard what others have seen," she said looking at him wide eyed. "They noticed some women that weren't from around here, they got in a van, and then they don't see them again. No long after other women came looking for them, not many, but a few. Then not long ago the cops were around asking questions, but they didn't stay long. The rest say that they really didn't care and were only doing it because of a reporter decided to make news out of it."

"I see," at least he now knew he was in the right place.

"Not much help, right?" she asked him looking worried. It was just her luck to move to the neighborhood where the killings were happening.

"You are, I know I am on the right track," he told her with a gentle smile.

"Oh, you definitely are," she told him with a shy smile. He reminded her of the brother of this friend she once had. She had a crush on him since they were little, but he always treated her like another sister, "could I help you?"

"Thanks for the offer, but is too dangerous," he told her. Under the neon lights of the bar, he saw that she was about fifteen years old. It didn't matter how high her heels were, or how much makeup she put on; she was still a kid and he wouldn't place her in danger.

"Well, you don't really have a choice," she told him, "because I know where he is going to show up next."

"What?" he asked listening to her heart beat. There was no falter, she was telling the truth.

"A few nights ago, I went to see a friend at one of the shelters, and she told me of the invitation that she got from one of the guys there for a job. He told her it was someone else who was offering her the job. I told my friend to not do it and keep quiet. She had no idea others had gone missing."

So, the man didn't contact the women directly. He probably went to the shelters and told other men to approach the women. If one of them did decide to talk to the police, it would be difficult to pinpoint him.

"And you didn't tell me this before because?" he knew she wasn't lying, but he needed to know if she was hiding anything else.

"I had to hold something over your head to let me help you," she said with a smirk.

"The answer is still no," he told her dropping his cigar and stepping on it.

"So you don't care that he might get someone else tonight? I guess you don't," she said walking away, "I am going, and I am going to stop him with or without your help."

"Kid, you don't know what you are getting into," he walked with her.

"Right," she laughed, "have you seen where I live? I am already at rock bottom."

"Fine," he said with a frustrated sigh. "I got us some extra help if things get too difficult, but I need you to tell me if you change your mind, got it?"

"Got it," she said with a smile before taking his hand, "C'mon, it's almost the time." And she dragged him to the back of the bar he had been sitting at before.

"What is your name?" he asked her.

"They call me Diamond," she told him as she kept dragging him, "and no, I am not telling you my real name, you?"

"Kal," he told her.

"Right," she laughed before they made it to the place smelled like death, but it was just a dog that died. "So, I jump him and you knock him out?" she asked him.

"No," he told her wishing Batman was there. He would probably know how to make the guy talk without doing this, "I need to follow him to know where he is keeping the rest. Changed your mind?" he hoped she had.

"Nope," she said with a smile, "just promise me you will let me kick the crap out of him after we find them."

"Maybe," he told her shaking his head in disbelief.

He went to hide behind a container as she waited at the mouth of the alley. At the time that she had signaled a black van had stopped in front of her before the door opened. All the lights were off, but with his x-ray vision he was able to see it was just one man. He was armed. The moment he decided to pull the gun on the girl he would stop him. He would call Batman to interrogate him if he had to afterward. The girl got on the truck before the door closed and started driving away at fast speed. He took to the skies after hiding his civilian clothing and followed as closely as he could without being detected. The drive had felt like a lifetime before they arrived at a line of suburbs under construction. The van stopped in front of one of the many incomplete homes.

The man led her inside the house. He checked the place with his x-ray vision and saw something that made his blood go cold. He broke through the door and what he saw made his blood shift from cold to boiling hot. He had the girl by the neck and was trying to rip her top with the other. He pulled the man back before he could even protest. The girl fell to the ground and scrambled to the next room in a panic.

"Stay back!" the man shouted as he started shooting at him. He caught each one of those bullets before picking the man up and glaring at him.

"How could you do that to them!" he said before dragging the man to the next room where the girl was hiding behind a small pile of bricks.

"Let me go!" the man kept shouting before Superman dropped him on the ground and then took a pipe and bent it to hold the man in place.

"Girl," he told the girl before he tossed her a cell phone the man had been carrying, "call the police."

"But," she started to say but one look from Superman was enough to stop her. She dialed the police and told them where she was and that Superman told her to call. They were reluctant to listen at first thinking it was a joke before he took the phone from her and told them it was the truth.

"Wait outside," he told her and she could only nod before leaving the room.

He once again turned to the man who was turning paler by the second. They knew Superman didn't hurt anyone badly, but the look he was giving him was making him wonder if maybe they had the alien peg down wrong.

"How could you do that to them?" he asked again before he started removing the plaster that covered the walls. As the minutes passed they began to hear the sirens, but Superman didn't stop. He had to get them out. Behind the walls were the women. Each one of them with purple marks on their necks, but he knew that was just the beginning. Their bones were broken in so many places, their bodies bruised and so violated that he had trouble keeping the acid in his stomach down. Humanity had a lot to offer, but it wasn't all good. The cruelty each one of these women felt before dying had been horrible. He carried each one of them to lie on the wooden floor.

"Superman?" he turned and saw the young girl standing at the entrance of the room with the cops.

"Diamond," he told her walking up to her and blocking her view, "wait outside, please."

She only nodded as she tried to hold her tears back. She had left the scene before he led the officers to the man. He told the officers he heard the girl scream before he arrived and when he checked the house he found the bodies. The killer was actually the owner of the condominiums under construction. He had thought no one would notice until the place was taken down, which would be a long time since he planned to live in that same house. The man had a wife and children of his own, but that didn't stop him. As he exited the house, he spotted the girl sitting on the sidewalk as a female office talked to her.

"Could I have a word with her?" he asked the officer who then secured the blanket around the girl before giving them some space.

"I guess I won't get to beat him, right?" she tried to joke with a sad smile.

"I wish I could say yes," he told her before she gave him a shocked look. "I also get angry, especially when I see things like that."

"Do you see things like that often?"

"It had been some time," he admitted. It was one of the perks of dealing with bigger threats. He usually got told about them before they made any damage, but this sort of thing was usually brought up when casualties had already occurred.

"So your name is Kal?" she asked him looking down. She couldn't believe she tried to get Superman to… "Ugh! Why didn't you tell me!"

"My birth name is Kal-El, I have never made that a secret. It was on the first article Lois Lane wrote about me. And you are smart enough to know why I didn't tell you."

"What's going to happen now?" she asked him.

"They are going to get justice," he told her looking up at the sky, "thanks to you."

"I… I only let him drive me here," she told him with a red tint on her cheeks, "you are the real hero."

He snorted at that which made her look at him with even more curiosity. Since she could remember, Superman had always been described as the Boy Scout of the Justice League. Here, sitting next to her, he didn't seem as corny as the news made him look.

"Can I go home?" she asked him as she got up.

"I am not taking you back there," he told her standing up.

"I know," she said as she kicked her high heels off.

"Where is your home?" he asked her.

"I don't have one, I was hoping it was with you," she gave him a hopeful smile.

"I am sorry," he told her.

"I guess it wouldn't do any good with Superboy around. I bet I could wrap him around my little finger in less than a day," she said with a smile though tears were starting to run down her face. She had no home, no family, and he wouldn't let her go back to that life.

"Give me a second," he said before walking a few steps away and calling the Watch Tower through his communicator.

Diamond watched him for a few moments wondering if he would take her to an orphanage. She had already been in one and felt her chest tighten at those memories. If he tried, she would just run away again.

"It's all arranged," he told her returning to her.

"What is?" she asked him warily.

"A place for you to stay," he said, "but we have to get you to give your statement first, and then I will take you there." He led her back to the officer where Diamond gave her statement, leaving out, of course, the strange man she had met in the slums.

"I will get you kicked to the curb! You will see!" they heard shouting as the Matthew Gordon; the killer was being brought out of the house. When he spotted Superman was still around he froze. He had thought the cape was long gone. Fright was quickly replaced with fury "this was none of your fucking business!"

"Is that so," he said appearing before the man in a flash.

"No one is going to miss those whores! Actually, the world will be a lot better without them!" the man was definitely crazy, but none the less his words were like stabs.

"Superman!" one of the officers shouted as he picked the man up by his neck, just like he had picked up Diamond not long ago.

"But it wasn't about making the world a better place," he said through greeted teeth, "it was about you hurting them and enjoying it. You offered them a chance to change their lives, only to take all opportunities they would ever have. You had had no right." And then he dropped the man who fell on his behind.

"I… I will sue you for that!" the man shouted.

"Sue him for what?" they heard a feminine voice say behind him. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "I didn't see anything, did you officers?" Lois Lane had asked before all the officers agreed with her as they got the man to stand again.

The man was at a loss of words as they took him away.

"So, what happened?" she asked him, "or did you reserve the story for Kent?"

"I will meet you at the Daily Planet in thirty," he told her as he walked away from her. He needed time to cool down. He didn't want Lois to see that side of him. "Are you ready?" he asked Diamond, who nodded before he picked her up and then flew away. A few minutes later they landed at a penthouse.

"Wow, do you live here?" she asked.

"No," he laughed, "you could say someone with plenty of capital believes in what we do. He will let you use the place for as long as you need until we find other arrangements for you. I take you don't want to go to an orphanage, right?"

"How…?" she asked wide eyed.

"You could say I have seen my fair share of kids caught in dangerous circumstances," he told her, "myself included."

"Really?" she asked hardly believing it.

"Yeah," he told her shaking his head, "you really should read that article written by Lois Lane. You kids nowadays don't look enough at the news."

"O… okay," she said looking around at the large loft hardly believing what was happening. There was a large bed, a kitchen, and a living room with a large TV. There was also a computer on a desk, which she could use to spend the time and probably find that article.

"Dial this number if you need anything," he said writing a number in a small notebook which was next to the phone.

"Thank you," she said as he was about to leave.

He offered her a smile before leaving. He went straight to the top of the Daily Planet where Lois was already waiting for him. He told her the same version as the cops, which was pretty short.

"Really? That's it?" she asked him. She remembered him being more talkative when it came to his feats. Not for boasting, of course, but he was very keen to detail.

"There is nothing else to say," he told her.

"Off the record," she said putting her recorder away, "what was that about? Are you feeling okay?"

"I might not be human," he told her, "but that doesn't mean I can't get upset."

"Upset isn't really the word I would use for it, but I understand," she said trying to comfort him.

"Do you?" he said leaning down to glare at her. How often did she have to see dead people? People he could have saved had he been faster.

Now she understood where the kid got his temper from.

"Sorry I said anything," she said rolling her eyes at him "is not like I snuck past the police line and saw all those poor women lying next to each other. Maybe if I had taken a greater interest in Clark's story, I would have gotten the guy caught sooner."

"You just love proving me wrong, don't you?" he said running a hand down his face. She was right and also had the right to feel angry at what that man did. At that moment, she saw Clark, not Superman but did her best not to show her shock, which didn't work at all, "what is it?"

"Nothing," she said fast turning away from him, "I got an article to write, see you around."

She got to the door and turned to find him gone without a single goodbye. She got to her office and wrote the article. She didn't have much to work with, but she made it a first pager just before dawn arrived. As she drove back to her apartment, she found making a turn in another direction. She didn't know where she was going until she spotted the old building where Clark lived. She knew he wasn't probably in the mood to talk, but she wasn't going to let him brood around the whole day, that was Batman's thing. She found Conner coming down the stairs.

"How is he?" she asked him immediately.

"It would be better if you left him alone for now," he told her unable to hide he felt uncomfortable talking to her about what happened. She wondered if heroes ever talked about those things at all. Or did they think that regular people wouldn't understand?

"Not a chance," she said passing him. She heard him sigh but didn't stop her. She had knocked on the door loudly three times before it opened with a shaggy looking Clark Kent standing on the other end. He was wearing sweatpants and a very loose shirt. His glasses looked as if he had slept on them as they were smudged and crooked.

"Not in the mood Lois," he said starting to close the door, but wasn't fast enough. Half her body was already through, and he had to open the door fully again.

"You don't get a choice," she said making her way to his small couch but opted to not sit. The place was covered with more take out than she could eat in a week. Okay, so the man of steel might not be able to drink his pain away but he sure made good use of his indestructible stomach. "If you are upset about me getting the story first, I would recommend you to take the with your tight wearing friend."

"I already wrote my cover of the story," he told her as he went to his bedroom, "you can get a cup of coffee and then leave." Then, he closed his door before she could say anything.

She was very tempted to just do as he said, but found herself walking to his door and then trying to open it. It was locked, but, of course, a locked door was never enough to stop her. After making good use of her credit card, she got the door to open. The room was in complete darkness after she closed the door behind her.

"Lois, go," he told her in his utmost stern voice.

She didn't reply as she walked towards his bed. She kicked her heels off and then pulled the covers before slipping in next to him. He turned his back on her, but that didn't stop her. She wrapped her arm around him and leaned her head to rest against his shoulder blade.

"You couldn't have known he hurt so many of them," she said in a soothing voice, "if it weren't for you, people would have never realized it to begin. He would have done the same to that girl if it hadn't been for you."

She felt his body shake and she found hers was doing the same. Tears were slipping down her face as she remembered all of those poor women lying on the floor. That monster that claimed to be a man hadn't cared how young or old they were. He hurt all of them equally and horribly.

Clark turned around before embracing her tightly against his chest. He didn't want her to see him cry so he leaned his lips on the crown of her head as she hugged him back. It wasn't long before they both fell to a peaceful slumber. There were no dreams they could remember, just calmness born from each other's presence.

It was midday when she woke up. Small slivers of light broke through his blinds enough to see they were still embracing each other. He was still sleeping and instead of waking him up so he would release her from his strong arms, she opted for remaining where she was. He was warm and though his skin could stop bullets it bent slightly at her touch even through his shirt. She wondered how that worked as she slipped her hand under his shirt and touched his flesh. She heard him gasp before he tightened his hold around her trapping her arm between their bodies. Great going Lois, the guy was mourning and here you are trying to cup a feel. She tried her best to wiggle her way out, but only achieved to stir the company depraved man even more until he was almost on top of her. It didn't help her skirt was riding up.

She decided to not move anymore and fake to be asleep when he woke up to give him a chance to get off her. Knowing him, he would think he did it in his sleep and apologize to her or he would know the truth, but still give into her. He usually did with her small whims. She leaned and placed her lips against his in a chaste kiss.

A hand took hold of her head and pushed her lips further against his. Her eyes snapped open as his were half-lidded. She could swear they shone in the dark like sapphires as he pulled back slightly with a smile. She had never seen him use that smile in public as either Superman or Clark Kent. It was a smile she hoped he only used with her.

He was on top of her the next moment, but using his arms so his full weight wouldn't fall on her. She was reminded of what they had been doing the previous morning, and she was sure Conner wouldn't return this time to interrupt. She had to make a choice here and now as he kissed down her neck and unbuttoned her shirt. That thought left out the window the moment she felt him against her tight and wondered if she could get him to use his outfit like this.

_You need to break up with Jonathan Carroll._

A small voice in the back of her head whispered. She cursed that little voice and Conner, who had placed it there. If what they were doing was wrong, Clark would stop them. She was already unzipping her skirt when he pulled back. Damn Boy Scout!

"Lois," he said breathless, "are you sure?" he asked her.

He wasn't stopping them! She was fast to sit up and get him to remove his shirt before feeling down his chest until she reached the band of his sweatpants.

"What do you think?" she asked and then youthful laughter escaped his lips before bringing them down on hers with revenge. A thousand thoughts raced through her brain. The first was of course if that thing lying against her tight had just gotten bigger, followed closely by how much it was going to hurt. Not that he would hurt her on purpose, but this was the man that could bend a metal beam with his little finger. That was probably the reason why she hadn't seen him in a female company often. Oh, what had she gotten herself into!

Any thought of retreat left her mind the moment he pulled down her bra. Though it was semi-dark, she saw the blush on his face as he stared at her breast as if they were the greatest gift from humanity. She wanted to shout at him to stop staring at them, they were just breasts. His large hand cupped one slowly; pushing it up until the perky top was before his lips. He was looking at her and gave her that sinful smile again which almost had her crossing her legs. When he leaned down, his dark hair covered her view but she didn't need to see. She felt as his lips wrapped around her nipple and sucked tenderly as his hand squished her plump flesh almost painfully. When he pulled back, she found she wasn't breathing. Then she readied herself for his next assault but didn't expect him to pull back, even less get off the bed so his back was facing her.

She wanted to turn the light on so badly or open the blinds. She could see the silhouette of his body against the light, but the details escaped her.

"Lois, there is something I need to tell you before we go any further," he told her running a hand through his hair. It had taken him all his self-control to stop and he knew that if he turned to face her he would just give in.

"It can wait," she knew already and didn't want to lose any more time.

"But…" he started picking back, but it was enough to make him do the whole turn. She was kicking away the remains of her clothing and was now bare to him. She kneeled at the edge of the bed and gave him a stare that had him wondering if he would be able to survive if she decided to leave.

"Dammit Smallville! I am choosing you! It doesn't matter!" she said pulling his hand to rest on her hip.

"You are?" he asked incredulously as she pushed his sweatpants and shorts down. He heard her utter a little gasp at what she was facing.

"No, I just…" but she stopped her sarcastic return and took a deep breath, "Yeah, I am. Now come here before I decide to gag and tie you."

"Maybe another time," he said laughing again before pulling her bare body against his. He returned to her breast, but not for long. He started trailing sloppy kissed down until he reached her navel. As he ravished her body, she couldn't help imagining them in that same situation; the strongest man in the world tied and gagged for her to do as she wanted. She cursed Jimmy for telling her about _that_ book.

"Are you thinking about it?" he asked her with a smile as he looked up at her with those penetrating eyes.

"Would you really let me do that to you?" she asked him intertwining her fingers on his dark hair.

"Anything you want," he told her as he continued his way down her body, but not before knocking her to her back with her knees in the air.

888

She was going to die, not literally of course, but it sure felt like it. Her body ached in places she didn't know existed and she was exhausted, still a silly smile spread on her face as she lay on his bed. She was glad he had gone to cook something for them to eat. He had barely been winged and she bet he would come back for more, and who was she to deny her gifts from him. She had never seen such a beautiful view as he got up from the bed, his skin covered in a thin sheen of sweat and bear for her eyes to take in. She almost whined when he wrapped his bathrobe around those perfect shoulder blades and tush.

She sat up when he opened the door and brought in a cup of that excellent coffee and a plate with food. She held the blankets to cover her breast as he set the plate on the nightstand next to her and handed her the cup.

"How come you don't look as tired as I feel?" she asked sipping from her cup. Of course, he wasn't going to be tired. She made sure to make a mental note to go back to the gym if she wanted to keep up.

"Lois, you don't have to act," he told her, "Conner told me that you know."

"I knew I couldn't trust that little- wait, you say that you knew that I knew, for how long?" her hands were trembling. He knew he had been blackmailing the kid that was like a brother to him.

"Last Saturday morning," he told her placing a hand on her shaking one, "Conner wasn't sure he was coming back, so he left me a message."

"So, how come I still have my memories?" or did she? She tried to remember all that she had done since she found about the great secret, but there wasn't anything missing.

"Because I didn't tell the League," he told her with a smile, "why else?"

"Because you worried I would reveal your secret to the public?" she had her backups, evidently Conner told him about it.

"That only works on Conner. I know you would have never done something like that," he said with a small laugh.

"So, you think you got me all figured out?" she said with a pout that made him want to take that coffee from her and then have his way with her all over again.

"The mystery that is Lois Lane is part of the reason why I want you so badly," he said leaning towards her as he placed a hand on her tight.

"Drinking coffee," she said turning away from him, to which he only laughed. She needed a little more time before round, what was it now? Eight or nine?

"So," he started sitting next to her, "you really meant it?"

"What?" but she knew what he meant.

"You chose me," he reminded her.

"Yeah," she said, "why?"

"Just making sure I didn't imagine it," he said before she turned to face him.

"You didn't," she said looking at him with a face that meant business, "I hope you know what this means."

"I get to buy you coffee every morning? Because I used to do that all the time when I was on the Planet," it more like she stole his so often that he usually came prepared with a second cup.

"That's just the beginning," she said, "you also get to take me out, and I don't go out just anywhere."

"You love Chinese takeout," he said with a smirk, "and bagels."

"And you also get to take me shopping, and wait for me trying out all of the outfits," she told him ignoring his interruption.

"You hate going shopping. You usually browse for new outfits online," he remembered seeing her more than once back when they worked across from each other. Then he said with a devilish smile, "but I wouldn't mind you modeling them for me."

"Who are you, and what have you done with Clark Kent?" she said slapping his chest. She laughed but then realized he wasn't, "is there something wrong?"

"Yeah," he said slipping his bathrobe off before pulling the blankets away from here, "is still too early for breakfast."

She couldn't believe she squealed as he took the cup of coffee from her before pinning her down. He, on the other hand, would never forget it.


	23. Chapter 23

FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF_** '**_**A ROBIN, RED ROBIN 3.'**

Becoming Superboy 23

He woke up in a place he didn't recognize. It looked like an ordinary bedroom for a teenager. He got up and walked to the window. It was very early in the morning. The sun was barely showing in the far. He was tempted to just jump through the window and leave. The place felt very strange. He paused and closed his eyes. He felt, but not how he was used to. He released his control and found there was nothing to free. His powers were gone.

"Conner, are you awake?" he heard Clark knocking on the door.

He rushed to open the door and found him dressed in his suit.

"Good, breakfast is on the table, make sure you make it to class in time. I don't have to talk to your teacher again," he said as he fixed his tie.

"Clark?" he asked.

Clark sighed, "Look son, I know you think I want to make your life miserable, but I swear I moved us out here for your own good. Metropolis was getting too violent, and I don't want you getting caught in the crossfire. You understand, right?"

Conner was at a loss for words.

"I don't have time for this right now son," Clark said, "but I promise we will talk tonight, and no more of that Clark nonsense, I am your father."

Before Conner could reply to that Clark was already walking away. He went after him.

"I don't understand what's happening," he said as they went down the stairs.

"I know you are in an awkward age son, but all will make sense,"

"Where am I?" the house, just like outside looked like out of a brochure.

"In the same place countless kids before have been. I know you are smart enough to figure it out," Clark said.

"Cla-dad," he corrected after getting a warning look. It felt odd to call him that, "I think there is something strange going on."

"Again son, we will talk tonight," he said pausing at the door and giving him an encouraging smile, "now go eat breakfast and get to school. Oh, and your mom is picking you up so don't linger inside. You know how she is like about waiting."

"My mom?" but didn't get a reply. Clark was out the door already and walking towards a car. He watched him leave towards the city. He looked at the street where they were. It was the suburbs outside of the city. He went straight to the phone and dialed one of the League's lines.

_The number you have dialed does not exist, please try again._

He dialed Tim's number.

_The number you have dialed does not exist, please try again._

Bart's

_The number you have dialed does not exist, please try again._

Jaime's

_The number you have dialed does not exist, please try again._

Supergirl's?

_The number you have dialed does not exist, please try again._

Okay, he had to get to a Zeta beam and get to the Watch Tower to find out what was going on. Though unsure at first, he ate the breakfast Clark had left him before rushing out the front door. He was ready to take the bus towards the city, when something in the back of his mind made him go back into the house and get a backpack he was not familiar with. He had no control over his body as he waited outside until a yellow bus arrived. He got on and sat in the back with another kid, one that he knew.

"Hey Conner, did you watch the Walking Dead last night?" he asked.

"Simon," he said first at a loss. What was the kid doing here?

"It was so cool, right? Your dad didn't catch you, did he?" he said flinching at the idea.

"No, but-" what was he talking about.

"Good, because I really want to check out the new video store we saw. I don't think they check ID. Harry said they don't. But you know how it is. When one of the parents catches up, they will. Let's take advantage while we can. What about after school?"

"My mom is picking me up," he said glad to have an excuse.

"Ugh, that's going to get ugly. Sorry pal," Simon said looking truly sorry.

"Why?" didn't kids get picked up by their parents all the time?

"Are you pulling my leg?" Simon asked him leaning forwards.

"Never mind, I am just not feeling like myself today," he said before becoming quiet.

"I bet so. You are not complaining about either one of your parents," Simon said looking out the window.

He had to get out of there and find help.

888

When the bus got to the school, his body went into automatic again and took him inside. He wanted to shout and run away, but couldn't. He went into a classroom and sat on a desk. He was the first one to get there.

"Mr. Kent? Well, this is a surprise," Dr. Spencer came into the classroom in a dark suit.

He looked at her desk and saw her name stand; Mrs. Spencer.

"You look a little pale Mr. Kent, are you okay?" she asked approaching him, "there is nothing to be scared about. Ms. Lance is not going to judge you or anything like that. She is just going to help you figure some stuff out."

"I hope so," he said more to himself than to her.

"I think it would be good if you showed her some of your drawings," she said before he looked at her. She seemed embarrassed for a moment before she went to her desk and took a small stack of papers out. "I couldn't bring myself to dispose of them. You got some talent, but please make sure not to make use of it while in class."

He took them from her and saw on the first of the pages himself in his black and red uniform. There was no face on the picture.

"My brother likes comics too. I hope you don't mind, but I showed them to him. He said that if you want, he could present you with some editors; with your parents' approval, of course."

He nodded because he didn't know what to say. Was he in some sort of dream or virtual reality? It would undoubtedly explain he strangeness of it all. After others had got the classroom, Dr. Spencer started teaching. By mid-class, he automatically excused himself and left. He walked towards another part of the school. He took advantage of it and sorted through the drawings Dr. Spencer had given to him. There was him, Superman, his friends and members of the League along with some villains. This couldn't be right because first of all he had no idea how to draw. He had the knowledge, but gaining skills like that took practice. He had never bothered to learn how to draw. He looked for any clues on them but found none.

He knocked on a door that said Dinah Lance; School Psychiatrist. He already had an idea of who it was going to be. Black Canary, wearing a suit, her hair in a tight bun, and square glasses invited him to enter and sat him on a chair across from her. He listened to her introduce herself and try to sound as much as possible as a friend. It seemed they had met before, but it was mainly to talk to Clark about their sessions. They didn't much chance to talk back then, but now they had half an hour to do so three times a week. Then she invited him to say something about himself. He told her his name, age and showed her the drawings Dr. Spencer had given him.

"You like to draw?" she asked with a sincere smile. He wondered if this made her job easier. Many psychologists used drawings to guess the mental states of their patients.

"Sort of," he said with a shrug. She complimented the drawings too.

"Is this me?" she asked shocked when she found the one of Black Canary.

"No, her name is Black Canary?" he said hoping he wasn't blushing.

"Really? What does she do besides wearing fishnets and looking fabulous," she didn't believe him. The resemblance was too great.

He gave in and said, "She is a detective, acrobat, can drive many types of vehicles but prefers motorcycles. Also, an expert at tactical analysis, the world's most skilled martial artist, and has a power called the Canary Cry."

"She also gets a power? What does it do?" she said apparently entertained.

"She can create sonic attacks which she can control in intensity. In one end, she can disorient her enemies, and in the other she can even shatter metal."

"And she is a good guy, right? I can't tell with all the black," he could tell she really liked the drawing.

"She is," he said before she changed the picture.

"This one, who is he?" she said looking at one with a lot more detail. It evidently looked like Clark, but she didn't say anything about that.

"Superman," he said pointing at the S.

"He is flying, and bet this one is almost as impressive as the amazing Black Canary," she said looking at him expectantly. She would probably take him as a kid with too much imagination.

Conner couldn't help smiling, "His name is Kal- El, and he comes from the planet Krypton. When he was a baby, his parents sent him on a rocket ship to our planet because theirs was about to explode. He landed in Kansas and was raised by a kind elderly couple. Because he came from a world with a dying red sun, our young sun overcharges his body giving him many abilities. One of them is flight."

"What else can he do?" she said looking at the drawing with more interest than before. She had just helped him realize that wherever he was, there was no Superman.

"He has superhuman strength, invulnerability, superhuman speed, superhuman senses like super hearing, smell and vision, heals fast, super breath, and heat vision," there was more, but he could feel his cheeks redden.

"But Black Canary can beat him?" she asked almost hopeful.

"No one can beat him," he told her, "but they are friends, so they don't even need to."

"Dang it, but Black Canary is the strongest woman, right?" she said sorting through the drawings.

"That would be Wonder Woman," Conner said before showing him the one of Wonder Woman.

"Pff… I am sorry Conner, but she just looks too much like principal Prince," she said with a crooked smile.

"Really?" he asked trying to look surprised.

"Don't worry, all we say, especially this stays between us. So what does Superman do when he is not saving the world?" she asked him and he wondered if there was more to her question than she let on.

"He has a secret identity," he told her.

"Really? What is it?" she asked.

"It wouldn't be a secret anymore if I told you," he said wondering if she would try to push further.

"Fair enough, what about this one?" she said before they went through most of the drawings. He gave her a short version of what they could do. Then the bell rang, "I will see you again on Wednesday, make sure to not be late Conner. I would like to hear more."

Of course she would. She probably thought he was projecting his feelings, and expectations towards the adults around him through his drawing. He wished to tell her already that was not the case. She had yet to ask him of the one with himself on it. The fact that the drawing was missing a face guarantees a whole session all about it. He had to think of something to tell her if they were going to talk about it.

He went to more classes, lunch and then classes again. He tried through the day to leave, but every time his body would just go on its own to the next class. The final bell rang, and he was ready to make another attempt. As he walked towards the exit, he felt someone grab his shoulder and turn him around before landing a punch on his jaw. He hit a locket and felt his head spin before he looked up and saw Jaime accompanied by Bart.

"Get up Kent, I want to beat you while you standing," Jaime said before Conner noticed a bruise on his jaw.

"Watch out Jaime, he might go psycho on you again," Bart said with a leering look.

He straightened up and rubbed his jaw. There was a story here, which he was sort of guessing. So, from what he understood he had been here for a short while. He kind of befriended someone but since he had not seen Simon for the rest of the day he had to guess they only talked on the bus or outside of school; so much for a friend. Then, he had to guess he had trouble fitting in and somehow got on the bad side of these two and even gotten into a fight. This last bothered him because from what Bart said, it told him he wasn't controlling his temper. Powers or no powers he was bigger than most sixteen years old. Jaime luckily was older, but he could tell it still had hurt. Whoever was doing this, they went to a lot of troubles to examine his psyche.

"Wake up Kent, I am not done with you," Jaime said pulling him by his shirt.

"Yes, you are," he said slapping his hand away. He was ready this time in case he wanted to punch him again, "a teacher is bound to show up any moment. You don't want your parents knowing, right?"

There was quite a crowd around them. It was bound to happen any moment. From what Clark said that morning, he had to guess the teachers kept a close look on him and probably Jaime too. If they got Jaime's parents anywhere right, he knew Jaime wouldn't risk getting caught fighting.

"You just find every way to piss me off, don't you?" Jaime said through greeted teeth before walking away.

"Not cool man, not cool at all," Bart said as he joined his friend.

The crowd dispersed, and something in his chest tightened. Something wasn't right. This place wasn't right. He wanted to fly, run, or disappear from that world that he didn't understand. He wanted his life back how it used to be; no high school, no parents, no psychologists, no suburbs, not a world without heroes, and definitely not a world without his powers. He felt lost without them.

"Conner, what the hell are you doing just standing there? I have been waiting for you for half an hour," he turned around and saw a familiar face.

"Oh no," he said holding his head, "this can't be happening."

"Hurry up Conner; I got a meeting in thirty minutes with White. If I give your saint of a father a chance to get ahead, he is going to take it," she said crossing her arms.

"Lois?" he asked.

"That's General Lane to you bucko," she said with a smirk, "Now let's go or I am not taking you for takeout after work."

A few minutes after, they were driving down the highway towards the city. He was thankful he finally had a way to get to the city though he wasn't sure he would find a Zeta Beam anymore. This world seemed fabricated to resemble what a normal life for him and the rest would be like. If they had expected him to like it, they were way wrong.

"… so how was it? I mean… if you want to talk about it," she said tapping her fingers nervously as they left the highway and reached a red light.

"It was fine," he said watching her fidget nervously. This was not the Lois Lane he knew.

"Did the doc ask any question about your dad or me or us?" she asked begging for the red light to turn green.

"No, she only wanted to talk about my drawings," he said keeping his eyes on the road.

"I thought you said you didn't want to show them to anybody," she turned to look at him in shock. Were the drawings that big of a deal?

He shrugged.

"Well, the woman must be a miracle worker," she said with a small smile.

"I am not that bad, am I?" he asked curious to know who he was supposed to be.

"Of course not, bucko; your dad just picked the worst time to move you out of the city. Believe me; I know a thing or two about untimely sudden moves," her tone was prickled with objection. She had opposed the move, yet didn't show just how much. He didn't need his powers to know this, "the place is lovely and so very…"

"Stepford wives like?" he completed for her and heard her laugh.

"Yeah, but don't tell your dad I said that. He loves the idea of you growing somewhere safe," she said as the light finally turned green.

"And you?" he asked her curiously.

"You know I love both of you," she said smiling gently, "but there is no place in the world that is truly safe. I want you to be ready for the dangers you will face, and living in the suburbs won't- I am doing it again, aren't I? God Conner, I am sorry. I know moving was hard enough. Just enjoy it while you can. There is going to be a time when neither one of us is going to tell you what to do or where to go. When that time arrives, you are going to find deciding for yourself is even more difficult. Now," she paused, "you can go ahead and tell me how full of shit I am since I chose to stay in the city."

"I understand," he said in a calm tone.

"What?" she asked, as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"I said I understand. The General had you move all over the world when you were with him. You chose Metropolis for your home when you were old enough, and I understand that's where you want to stay and not be forced to move again."

"That woman is really a miracle worker," Lois said looking at the road still in shock. A teenager that actually understood their parents' wishes and reasoning was not always that common.

"So, you and dad…" he had to know what was happening between those two. It might be a clue of how to get out of that place.

"We see plenty of each other at work," she said trying to give him a reassuring smile.

"I see a lot of people at school," he didn't believe it for a second, and neither would any teenager.

"You and your smart mouth," she grumbled, "but everything is fine. It is just a little weird talking to you about it."

"Why?" he asked

"Well, because," was her reasoning.

"I still don't understand," he told her.

"Oh c'mon Conner, you really want to hear how your dad is courting me? Because I will tell you, he is a farmer's boy at heart," and her cheeks were tinted red.

"And you an army brat," he said unable to help laughing.

"Touché my young one, I have nothing left to teach you," she said as they reached another red light, "damn it, your dad is going to beat me to the assignment."

"Why don't you two try to cover it and see who comes on the top, pun intended," he said leaning his cheek on his hand like any careless teen, but unable to hold his smile.

"Conner!" she said in laughter, shock and outraged.

"What? It would make things more interesting," he said nonchalantly.

"You are setting your parents against each other," she said as they pulled in front of the Daily Planet, "your two very competitive parents."

"Isn't that what you liked first about each other?" he said picking his backpack from the back seat.

"I…" she frowned. He was right. She looked at him and frowned. The way she was looking at him said that she couldn't believe he had really been listening to all they said.

"Well, I thought you said you were in a hurry," he said opening the passenger's door.

But before she could say anything the front of the entrance of the Daily Planet exploded. The windows of the car exploded. His ears were covered by the sound of people screaming in fear. Lois was screaming too. He was a little disoriented as the cloud of debris surrounded them, but it didn't last. As soon as he heard the screams of pain, he knew what to do.

"Stay down," he said getting out of the car. Lois was hunched down as far as she could.

"No, Con-" he slammed the door close.

He rushed into the building pulling the next of his short so it was covering his nose and mouth. He hurried to the nearest person in pain. It was a woman and not for the first time that day he wished for his powers. She could have a concussion, broken bones, or internal bleeding. He didn't know if he should move her at all. It could end up making things worse. He started by removing the de debris that was covering her. She needed to at least be able to breathe. It wasn't long before paramedics arrived. By then he had helped those who were able to move get outside, and then guided the paramedics to the people who couldn't. All the while he heard Lois calling his name, but the cloud of debris made it difficult for her to find him.

Eventually, the cloud settled on a thing mantle of dust and she found him by the elevator helping the people who had been trapped inside get out.

"Conner, what are you-" but stopped when she saw him with the help of the firefighters who had made it the scene, open the elevator.

Inside were soldiers from Bialya. The men pointed their guns at them and fired immediately. The world slowed down around him. He still wasn't sure if this place was really just an illusion or something else, but he couldn't let them get hurt. A familiar feeling surrounded him, and he hoped it was enough.

"Ah!" Lois watched the bullet stop a few inches away from her face. All around her the firefighters fell to the ground unconscious, but uninjured. All the bullets fell to the ground harmlessly.

The Bialya men started shouting in fear. She saw Conner then step towards them, and the men grew more fearful. She didn't know what they were saying, but it sounded interestingly close to a prayer. Suddenly, the men were thrown back by an invisible force and knocked unconscious.

"Conner?" she touched his shoulder before he turned his head to face her. His eyes were shining red.

Conner saw her fear immediately and just like that the familiar feeling was gone and he fell to his knees with a pounding headache.

"Lois! Conner!" they both turned to see Clark come out of the service stairs looking scared out of his mind.

"We are fine," Conner said before Lois could ask what she had just seen, "but those men are armed."

Clark saw the men and the weapons. At once, he told them find a safe place before jumping into the elevator and taking the guns away from the men.

"Let's wait outside," Lois said taking hold his arm and pulling him outside. However, Lois didn't just stand by idly. She went to the people who had been inside at the time and gathered as much information she could from them. It had been a suicidal bomber. It seemed like the one who had the explosives had trouble with the detonator. At once, his companions left him behind for the safety of the elevator. Their actual target had been the central offices of the Daily Planet. It was an hour before Clark finally came out. He looked calmer, but still disturbed at what happened.

"Perry wants _us_ to cover the story," he gave Lois a worried look, "are you up to it?"

"Smallville, you forget who you are speaking to, right?" she said, though she was a little shaky.

"I would never," he said taking one of her hands.

"Before you two start acting like newlyweds," Conner said, "I think we should get something to eat. I am famished."

"Right, right," Clark said giving Lois a questioning look, to which she only shrugged.

"You two are staying at my place," she said as they walked towards Clark's car. Lois had already parked hers inside the Daily Planet. She didn't feel like leaving it outside and risking getting it stolen because of the missing glasses.

"I don't think so. This city is getting worse by the minute," Clark said as he opened the passenger's door for her. He was still a gentleman.

"Oh please, the highway must be packed by now because of the attack. It will take us an eternity to get out of the city," Lois said

"Actually," Conner said sitting on the back seat and stopping their argument, "I would like to stay in the city."

"Conner," Clark sighed, "it's not-" but he wasn't going to let him I-am-your-father-and-what-I-say-goes.

"I agreed to move you told me to, to talk to that quack at school, and I just lived through a terrorist attack. I just want to eat and get a good night sleep, and soon," he pouted and he hoped none of his friends ever knew about it. But to stay in the city he would throw a tantrum if he had to.

"He does make a point Clark. Today has been hell for him," Lois said giving him a pleading look, "please."

"Alright," Clark sighed, "but don't complain to me in the morning from sleeping on the couch."

"As long as you guys don't make too much noise and let me sleep," Conner said.

"Conner!" both Lois and Clark shouted.

"What? You are going to be writing an article, right?" he said before the two adults looked away from each other.

"Smart mouth," Lois said watching him through the rear view mirror. Conner felt her gaze study him. He knew she would have questions about what she saw. He wasn't looking forwards to that.


	24. Chapter 24

FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF_** '**_**A ROBIN, RED ROBIN 3.'**

Becoming Superboy 24

_It was raining outside. He wondered how M'gann was fairing with her girl's night out. Not that rain would hurt them, but he hoped it hadn't ruined their fun. He was actually glad for the girl's night out. It gave him time to relax on his own. He was alone in Mount Justice, with the exception of Red Tornado, who was tinkering in his room. As for the rest of his friends, they all had something going on; Kaldur had gone to Atlantis, Robin was on patrol with Batman, and Wally was in a family reunion. He leaned back on the couch, allowing himself to slouch, and changed the channel. _

_**Recognized: Superman 01**_

_He heard the Zeta-Beam announce. Even though a few months had already passed since Superman started to accept him, it still made him a little anxious to meet him. Their training sessions were still in the works as they were yet to find their balance. A part of him wished for them to stop as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. The training sessions reminded him that he would never be as strong; he was the one of them to bring less into the partnership. He rolled his shoulders wondering if this was another surprise training session, not that they were that strange. The man had a hectic schedule and would come at random times of the day. _

"_Sup," he said turning his head to look at Superman._

"_I take you are not busy," Superman said leaning on the couch._

_The action itself was so ordinary; a friend checking on another, made it seem so surreal. He had seen him behave like this before, but usually away from the sight of others. Though he didn't say it, Superman had to keep a presence even before others in their trade. This conduct was something he never shared with his friends but was more than happy to be let into the known._

"_Not really," he said standing up, training; here we come._

"_What do you know about Krypton?" he asked him._

_He stopped mid-stretch before turning to give him a raised eyebrow look. Where did that come from? He was shocked for a moment before going over what he knew. It was very limited. It was the planet where Clark had come from but was now gone. They had been an advanced society, but he did not know much more than that._

"_Come with me," Superman said with a plotting (okay, not plotting but the kind that said I-can't-wait-to-show-you) smile, "and bring a jacket."_

_The Zeta-beam took them to a small cabin in the artic north. He already had an idea of where they were headed. Superman ran alongside him. He wanted to protest that he should just fly. It would bother him less than him slowing down to try to not make him feel inadequate. Finally, the Fortress of Solitude came into sight. Though he had seen images of the place before, it still took him a moment to understand what he was seeing. The dome of intertwined crystals, even in the darkness of the night, shone with an unearthly beauty._

_He was about to ask Superman if all of Krypton had been like this, but then something tackled him to the ground. Whatever it was, he tried to push it away. It wasn't helping that it kept licking his face. For a moment, he wondered what Wolf was doing there._

"_Get off him Krypto," Superman laughed as he pulled the beast off him. He sat up and stared at a large white dog trying to escape Superman's hold. It was bigger than a regular dog, and strength was anything but normal, "we don't get too many visits, so he gets a little…"_

"_It has a cape," he pointed out, "and it was able to knock me down."_

"_He is also from Krypton," Superman told him releasing the dog now that it had calmed down._

_The moment he released it, the dog flew around him barking happily._

"_And it can fly," he was ready to turn around right then and leave. If it weren't for the dog then tackling Superman, he would have. There was very little that could take the man down, so this was an unusual sight._

"_We will bring Wolf next time," Superman laughed as he pushed the dog away "Maybe then he will stop tackling every poor soul that passes by."_

_They walked the remaining of the way; Krypto flew around them barking happily. He could see Wolf getting along with this hyperactive hound and even Sphere. They would make an odd bunch, but those he considered his friends and family were just as strange, if not more._

"_Do you live here?" he asked as Superman got the fortress to open. He knew Superman, as Clark Kent had a place in Metropolis, but he wondered if it was just for show. He had been curious about this place for a long time, and could only imagine what it held._

"_I used to pass a lot of time here before the League. Now, I stay here on strange occasions. Too busy, you know?" Superman said as they walked a long crystal hall._

_He nodded. He knew as their steps echoed loudly, that it wasn't because the League kept them busy, but because they could spend more time with others who knew what they really were. They were alone in what they were; they were not alone in being with others as matchless as themselves. They were alone, yet they weren't. Each one of them, each member of the League, and the Team was unique._

"_This is the Zoo," Superman said and he didn't need to explain why it was called like this. On either side of the long hall, with what he hoped wasn't just regular glass, were creatures from other worlds living in what he imagined were recreations of their natural habitat. "Each one of these creatures is the last of their kind or close to being the last. I took to look after them after their collector also tried to collect me. Since then, any creature I find without a home, I bring here."_

"_You look after all of them?" He saw the long hall linked to others. For all he knew, the place was a maze of space wildlife._

"_When I have the time, otherwise I let the Robots take care of them," he said before one of the said Robots came into sight. The automaton walked towards them carrying a sack of what he thought was feed. The machine was built to look strong, as its master. It had the outline of their shield but with a number 3 in the center, instead of an S._

"_Kal-El, shall we prepare a dinner for you and your guest?" the machine asked in a polite tone, stopping a few feet away from them._

"_Yes, number 3, and is the room ready?" Superman asked as they continued on their path. The robot followed closely behind them. He resisted the urge turn around to look at the machine._

"_Yes Kal-El, the dinner will be ready in thirty minutes," the machine said._

"_Make it an hour; this might take some time," Superman said lightheartedly. Conner wondered if he had conversations with the thing, since he said he used to spend a lot of time in the fortress._

"_Understood Kal-El," the machine said before it took down another path. Krypto followed him, probably to try to snatch something to snack on._

"_So, is it going to be a long tour?" he asked wondering if an hour would be enough. He wanted to see the whole place._

"_There will be more time for you to see everything later," Superman said as he led him through different halls._

"_You didn't bring me here just to have dinner, did you?" because if that were the case they could have just prepared something at the base._

"_No, is just not that easy to explain," Superman said with a nervous smile, "you once told me you were given a lot of information by the Genomorphs. You understand what a Ritual of Passage is, right?"_

"_It's an event in life that marks the change of one stage of life to the other. Sometimes it refers to reaching a certain age, an event like marriage or first hunt, or entry into a clan," was that what this was about? There were so many possibilities to what Superman might refer to as a Rite of Passage, and the possibilities were even greater if it was a Kryptonian Rite of Passage._

"_That sounds about right," Superman said with a short laugh. Conner felt an adrenaline rush as he wondered what the rite would entitle and also a certain lightness to his chest as Superman didn't push to explain to him that he would be going through this ritual._

"_Will it really only take an hour?" he asked as they reached a massive door with the S insignia carved into it._

"_Believe me, it will feel like a lot longer," Superman said pausing before the door._

_Conner stood just a few steps behind him and stared at the door. They had passed by so many doors in their way there he had lost count of them. But that door, in particular, though simple as crystal with the crest, demanded respect from him._

_When Superman started speaking again, it was in a calm and purposeful tone. _

"_The House of El was of the oldest houses of Krypton. The crest emerged so long ago that it is unsure how it was chosen, but the meaning remains the same. You like me, have only known that life on Earth, and as with most that is unfamiliar, they have tried to make sense of it. I don't correct them when they say is an S. It's easier that way. But you will know the truth; that is not an S, but the crest of my Kryptonian family. It stands for hope. Can you imagine why they chose it?"_

_Hope, he thought, he knew the meaning of the word, but why would a family from an advanced civilization pick it was beyond his understanding. He knew hope was significant, but it wasn't as much as strength and bravery. Those were the ones that really turned the tables._

"_I am glad you are not jumping into an answer," Superman said placing a hand on the door, "think about it until you are ready. Now, follow me. There is something you must see. _

_They entered a large circular black room and walked up to the center. As soon as they reached it, the door closed and they were engulfed in complete darkness. Though he knew he was safe, his heart started beating against his ribs._

"_This was once the universe," Superman spoke, and though he was standing next to him, it felt as if his voice was coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "There was only emptiness without purpose, but with the exception of its center." _

_Though still blinded by the darkness he swore the ground moved under him faster and farther than the actual length of the room. He held his breath as he saw a small light which he was quickly approaching. A fraction of a second later he was standing before a white mass, brilliant and pulsing with energy. _

"_In its center all that was and all that could be held in constant renewal; every possibility living in one body. There came a point where the pure will of wanting to exist created a being named Rao."_

_From nothing, he saw a creature born of pure fire. Its shape was always changing, with no real extremities or even eyes to speak of, but evidently alive. Though he stood, a few feet away from him Conner felt the creature had been probably larger than anything that had ever lived. He watched in astonished silence as it flew around the matter in the center of the universe. It took eons for the creature to make a whole turn, but never stopped. Then it flew far, far away into the darkness where it became the only light, the first sun, the first star._

"_Rao, though at that time nameless for there was no need for names when you were the only being in the universe, flew away from the center of the universe to explore. A long time passed and he reached the edge of the cosmos."_

_Conner felt the cold sweat run down his back as the fiery entity reached a wall. It just stood there without seeming beginning or end. It was a massive wall, but nonetheless possible to evade. Yet Rao stood before it as if in modesty. There was something very frightening about that wall that made him want to bow his head down._

"_At the edge of the universe Rao found the Source Wall, that which holds together the universe and also hides the Source, the answer to everything. Rao passed the Source Wall and was gone for eons," and as he heard, Superboy watched he fiery creature go over the wall and disappear. When it returned, the flaming Rao had taken a humanoid form and was even larger than before._

"_Rao returned to the center of the universe and took between his hands the matter of the universe. Whatever he had seen, made Rao realize something. With nothing but the shining mass of energy before him, he didn't want to be the only one to exist," and they watched as the fiery creature pressed its hands around the shining mass. A long time passed, Rao gave a guttural shout, the first sound of the universe, and the white mass of energy exploded with the possibilities it held._

"_So, the universe wasn't empty anymore," Superman said as Conner shielded his eyes as lights and colors exploded around him as matter moved faster than they could actually appreciate. There were other things besides matter, but he wasn't sure what they were._

_They watched as Rao gathered some of the material of the universe and created a sun, using his own red flames to light it. Around it, it placed hot planets with care. They watched as one of the planets cooled and took form. Crystals adorned its view along with fiery rivers and falls. Reflections of Rao, Superboy thought, as he watched one of the first civilizations of the universe appear out of nothing, much like Rao himself._

"_So, Krypton was born," he heard Superman as time accelerated and he watched the escapes of that world change infinitely. He watched as something was born from Rao's fiery hands; a creature that sole purpose was to create, "so Vohc the Builder was created from Rao to give meaning to Krypton." Then, from Rao's heart he watched a dark dragon emerge and bring with it the peacefulness of the night "so was Nightwing born from Rao to give Vohc inspiration with starry skies." Then they saw from Rao's mind a red fiery dragon be born. She was instructed by Rao to destroy all Vohc created, "so was Flamebird born from Rao so Vohc would have space to build new amazing things."_

_He watched as the dragons flew around Vohc, and he wasn't sure if he imagined it, but he swore Vohc was looking at Flamebird with love-stricken eyes though she was partnered to Nightwing._

"_There will be time to talk about those two later," Superman said with a short laugh. _

_Time was moved faster and they saw civilizations bloom, fall and be reborn again from ashes countless times. No matter how many times, or how horrible the falls were, they always stood up again. There were times when the disaster that brought them to their knees was so great that almost whipped their world out. At one point the emblem of the House of El appeared, but he didn't comment on it. He didn't want to miss anything though he knew he would probably be able to watch all of this again._

_Then, something happened. Krypton did not fall again. He watched as Vohc sat among mountains and watched the world below. Flamebird flew around Krypton, trying to burn it down. But, Vohc had done something to the latest creation, and this Krypton could not be burned down. Vohc broke the balance of their world, as of why he guessed that was what he would later learn. So, no matter what Flamebird tried to do, she could not stop the current Krypton from growing and flourishing. Most would think this was good, but there was something in Conner's chest that told him Rao chose to have Flamebird destroy everything for a good reason._

"_That will be enough for now," Superman said before the vision stopped and they were plunged into darkness. Slowly, dim lights appeared on the floor which guided them back to the door. "We will have dinner and I will answer any question that you have. If you wish afterward, we can go over what happened after."_

_He could only nod not trusting his words. He was still making sense of what he saw and what it meant; especially what it meant that it was being shown to him. It had all been lights and shapes; Rao, the Center of the Universe, the Source Wall all seemed like a fairy tale, but it resonated with him. It was ridiculous because it contradicted a lot of what he knew about the universe. But then again, Kryptonians had been more advanced than humans. If it was true, then that red walking sun was their deity. Even on Earth, Red stars were known to be rare. There had only been one that Earth's scientists were able to detect, and that was the sun which Krypton had rotated around. _

_Superman led him to a large dining hall. He wondered if the place had been filled at least once. The table could seat thirty people, yet only two seats had meals on them. He had been expecting some exotic Kryptonian dish, but instead what lay before them was Beef Bourguignon, accompanied with Gratin Dauphinois, French bread, some greens, and red wine. They had sat in front of each other before Superman started to say grace. He bowed his head too but was still too astonished to say anything._

"_I know is a lot to take in. If you prefer we can continue another day," Superman said._

"_I am just trying to make sense of it," he said not looking away from his meal, "do you believe any of it?"_

"_At first, I didn't," Superman said picking his glass of wine and started to rotate it in the glass, "but over time, I found things that changed my mind. For starters, I have met others in space that corroborate that there is a Source Wall and warn to not approach it. I asked the Lanterns about it, and they too corroborate on it."_

"_So, there really is a wall…" Superboy said with wide eyes, "have you ever seen it?"_

"_In person, no," Superman said, "and not interested to as long as it's not threatened. I was told that it was what held the universe together."_

_A wall held the cosmos together… it seemed ridiculous, and it only probed to ask more question, but he quenched them by eating. Though it had only been an hour, he felt ravenous. The food was delicious, and tentatively tried the wine. He expected the stupefying effects of alcohol, but nothing happened._

"_We can't get drunk," Superman said with a smile, "so drink as much as you like."_

"_We can't?" he drank a large gulp and waited; nothing happened._

"_I have known of other substances that can cause a similar effect on us, but I believe is better to go without them. Why create a dependency where there isn't need for one?"_

_He nodded; it was true though part of him was curious. The food was delicious and soon they were walking through what seemed to be a garden. As they reached a large oak tree, he gathered all his questions in order. Superman answered all of them with patience and care under the oak tree. They kept going over the chamber, and records of Krypton as the questions kept coming up. Before he realized it, days had passed. It was hard to keep track of time that place, but he didn't regret his stay or the times he returned._

_888_

Lois' apartment turned out to be the one he and Clark shared in the real world, plus a few additions. There were pictures of a boy growing up alongside them. There was a picture of a baby lying peacefully asleep on a cradle. In another picture, the boy around three or four was on Clark's shoulder laughing in complete ignorance that someone was taking a picture of them. Another showed the boy with Lois at a school science fair and earning third place. There was another of the boy a little older graduating Middle School. Both Lois and Clark were at his sides with proud smiles. There was a recent picture of him lying asleep on the couch with a video game controller resting on his chest.

"I will take it off when you let me take one without making faces," Lois said poking his cheek lightly. He jumped back and he knew it was the wrong thing to do when she gave him a questioning look, "mind to tell me what happened back there?"

Hell, he thought, she was in full reporter mode. He felt that creeping feeling on the back of his head when he was about to do something he didn't want to. It was really starting to piss him off.

"What do you mean?" he said fighting the feeling before it could take completely over him.

"You stopped those bullets and knocked those men out, that's what I mean Conner. Is this the reason you have been acting out? Because, I swear neither your father nor I would stop loving you if it is. We both know plenty of people that could help you," she said taking one of his hands between hers.

"Love me?" was all he could find himself asking and looking down at her hands. This was so wrong, he thought before pulling his hand back. He was a clone. He didn't have parents or a real childhood. This woman was not- she was a friend, an ally, but nothing more to him.

"Yes Conner, we love you. You are our child and no matter what happens nothing will ever change that," she said stepping up to him. For every step that she took towards him, he took one back until his back hit the back of the couch. She gave him a pleading look, "please, tell me what is going on?"

He couldn't help grinding his teeth as he raised his chin and looked down on her. The tingling sensation on the back of his neck intensified. It was telling him to talk to her, to let her hold him as he confessed he was afraid. He ignored that feeling and clenched his teeth harder. There was no way he would be a puppet in this charade.

"Like you would understand," he said narrowing his eyes on her and speaking through clenched teeth. That place wasn't real, and neither was she. Those pictures were there to mock him. He wondered if N.O.W.H.E.R.E. was behind the whole ordeal. They probably were trying to mess with his memories but were failing miserably. He wasn't going to allow them to win.

"I know this is an odd situation sweeti-" she started reaching to touch his cheek.

"Don't call me that!" he growled at her. She looked at him with wide, frightened eyes. The sensation in the back of his mind was telling him that he should be feeling sorry for scaring her. Like hell, he was going to feel sorry for not playing their games.

"Did you feel that?" Clark asked returning to the apartment with their food, "I think the building just shook."

"We didn't, right _mom?" _he said giving her a warning look.

"Yeah, not one bit," she said hurrying to help Clark with the food.

They sat around the small kitchen table. He ate while they talked about the article they were to write about the attack. He was more than happy to be excluded from the conversation though he wished Lois would stop giving him worried looks. There was a moment he wanted to snap at her, but instead chose to sit in the living room and do his so called homework. It took him about ten minutes to finish all of it before he picked a book from a shelf and concentrated on reading it. Interestingly enough, the book was one of his back in the real world.

He would pause at times and listen to them talk. At one point, they moved on to work on their computers. He hoped to remember this. Some of their best work was when they worked together. Listening to what the process might be like was fascinating. Lois was a tornado of emotions and opinions. Clark was able to make sense of it all and put it in words that were both poetic and straight to the heart and the mind. He wondered how those two were doing in the real world. He knew it was none of his business. Clark and Lois were grown adults and had the right to make their own decisions without meddling children (or seven-year-old half alien clones with a physiology of a teenager.) Of course he knew relationships were not always straight forwards. His experience with Miss Martian made sure that he didn't think any other way.

"You okay son?" Clark asked placing some blankets and a pillow next to him, and then sitting down "if you want you can stay with your mother and-"

"Don't even go there," Conner said and hated that he knew his cheeks were turning red. God, why did he have to say something like that?

"Sorry," Clark said taking his glasses off, "I guess the last thing a boy your age wants is to be sandwiched between his parents."

"I am going to start breaking things and screaming until someone calls the cops if you don't drop it," he said trying to sound as serious as possible while he could feel cold sweat running down his back. Whoever had this planned was an asshole.

"Dropping," Clark said raising his hands in surrender, and standing up, "just call us if you need anything."

He gave him a curt nod before Clark and Lois locked the bedroom. A second later he was trying to use his powers. It was a little shaky, but he got the couch ready in a few minutes. His powers were returning. The sensation was familiar to him. It was as if those metaphorical muscles were being held down by something but every time he tried to use them they became loose. He had a long night ahead of him. He worked silently around the living room and kitchen practicing by moving small objects and trying to get a reading as of where he actually was. The object moving moved pretty fast. In a little over an hour, he was able to fly again, but he still couldn't sense his surroundings. At the sound of someone moaning (he didn't care to find out whom), he was sort of glad that part of his powers was still off. He found a pair of headphones in the backpack and put them on. He didn't want his super-hearing getting him mentally scarred.

He continued to work on getting his powers working again until he got almost everything back to normal. Heat vision, and all other types of supervisions; checked. Super-breath; checked. Super-strength; checked. Accelerated healing; checked. Hiding the forks he broke testing his accelerated healing; checked. He didn't know what time it was when exhaustion finally got to him. He collapsed on the couch and after setting a small barrier around himself, he slept for a few hours.

_There was one lonely lamp sitting on his nightstand giving off a dim light. The Mount Justice base was completely empty with the exception of them. His body was covered with a thin layer of sweat. He was amazed that doing something like that could make him lose his breath. When he was being grown, he was given all the information he would need of the human body and how procreation worked. However, he hadn't expected it to be so intense, or was it because she was not human?_

"_Did you like it?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_So, did I get it right?"_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_You know? The parts and bits."_

"_I suppose so."_

"_You suppose?"_

"_I didn't look."_

"_Oh, I guess it would be odd if you did, right?"_

_He shrugged._

"_But you did like it, right?"_

_He had nodded before he turned to stare at her._

"_You want to do it again?"_

_He nodded before pulling her into a kiss. _

Tilt the brush at a 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline. Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes. Gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath. Forget what you saw that night because you, just like her already moved on. Don't forget M'gann and you are only friends. Remember to get out more when you get out of that madhouse.

"C'mon Romeo, you are going to be late for school," Clark knocked on the bathroom door.

"I already called the school and told them he is not going," Lois said also standing outside. It was more like he asked her to call the school. He didn't want to deal with that mess anymore.

"But-" Clark started to refute.

"They were fine with it Smallville. They were actually kind of expecting it. But the psychologist also wants us to come in with him tomorrow to talk. Sort of a family session," she said and he could swear he heard her wince.

"I guess is for the best," Clark said before knocking on the door, "but you still need to hurry. You are coming with us to work. We are not leaving you here on your own. God knows you would call your old friends over and…"

"Smallville…" Lois admonished with a sigh.

"Fine," Conner said after rinsing and then stepping out.

Both looked a little shocked when he came out.

"Smallville, I think we might have stepped into another dimension. One where our son is not whining about being taken to work with us, like a little kid," Lois said giving Clark a mocking serious look.

"Agreed General, our son would be rolling his eyes at us- never mind. He just did," Clark said as Conner did roll his eyes at them and went to the living room to wait for them.

888

He sat at their desks being prodded and checked on by people that seemed to know him since he was a toddler. When used to make forts with his mother out of unused desks and chairs in the conference room. Cute? He thought as an older fashion reporter pinched his cheek. He wasn't cute, at least not in the sense old women thought of children.

"Kent, call from the Pentagon," Mr. White called from his office.

"Is that time of the year already?" Clark said with a sigh.

"Maybe he is checking if I am finally a widow to try to marry me to some medal worshipping lackey," Lois said.

"Yeah, that's probably it," Clark said before answering the call, "General Lane, what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"

"One would think that after eighteen years the General would stop threatening your dad," Lois sighed, "still, it makes every Thanksgiving interesting."

He didn't comment on it. Instead, he listened to what General Lane was telling Clark. When he hung up, Conner knew he would have to think of something to throw them off.

"Mr. White," Clark marched straight to the man's office and only after one minute he returned, "we are going home, now." His tone left no space for discussion.

"What did the general say?" she asked.

"I will explain on the way home," he said as he led them to the elevator.

Clark drove them towards the house in the suburbs and explained the situation with an even voice, "the General was in charge of the interrogation of the men from yesterday. They all claim a teenage boy stopped their bullets and knocked them out. They were all interrogated separately and they all gave the same description of what happened along with a description of the boy."

"What does that have to do with us?" Conner had asked before Lois turned her head to stare at him with shocked eyes.

"Conner, I need you to remain calm," Clark said looking at him through the rearview mirror. When Conner nodded, he continued, "those men described you. Your grandfather is furious. He thinks they are targeting us and this is their way to show that they know who we are. He said he would place surveillance around the house and your school until we were on the clear. He said the Planet was too big to cover, the reason why we had to leave."

"At least they are not taking us to some bunker in the middle of nowhere," Lois said slumping on her seat.

"I wouldn't mind that at all," Clark said with a frown, "this damn world is going crazy." Then, his eyes landed on Conner through the rearview mirror, "I am sorry son. This is just one of those extraordinary situations. We will be fine."

He nodded and wondered when the madness would end.

888

At night, he made another head count of the soldiers surveying the house. He didn't count the ones standing inside the house. They might as well be statues. Lois and Clark were talking in the study about what they should do, or if they should do anything at all. He turned the TV on the living room and changed it to a channel with static. He didn't know why, but this always helped him clear his mind. He noted one of the soldiers was looking at him with worry but decided to ignore him.

Neither Lois nor Clark questioned his choice at watching static, but he could sense their worry. He declined dinner and went to _his_ room that night. He started searching for clues. He found a lot of comic books and scanned through them trying to find a sign. He found a very promising paperback and collapsed on the bed with it.

The Teen Team

The cover had look alike of his friends and himself. The Teen Team seemed to be on a journey to see someone, only to be tricked. His eyelids started to feel heavy. The feeling on the back of his head was starting to buzz again. He fought it. He was so close.

"_Get to the point already Hood, we have more important things to do," Tim said._

"_I will get to that when I get to that," Jason said, "I promise you will be thanking me by the time you leave the island."_

"_You haven't changed one bit," Superboy said standing up, "this is all a rouse. We are not here to play games, Jason."_

"_Neither am I Kon," Jason said standing too._

"_Then get to the point," Superboy sneered at him._

"Conner, are you alright?" he blinked a few times. He turned and saw he was sitting in front of Dinah Lance with Lois and Clark at his sides. He was back in her office in what seemed to be another session. He surprised the urge to ask how he got there as he tried to make sense of the memory he just saw. It was coming back to him, but something kept trying to keep him away from the truth.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to son," Clark said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"But it would really help us understand what is going on," Lois said taking his hand in his.

"What was the question?" he asked shrugging both of his hands off. Though meant to comfort him, it only ended up making him angry. Internally he counted to ten, trying to stay calm.

"Who is Superboy?" Dinah asked as she showed him the unfinished drawing of himself. The face was still missing.

"He is the clone of Superman," he answered taking the picture from her. Things were starting to make sense, and he hated he hadn't realized it earlier.

"What I mean to ask is who is he in real life? Who is he when he is not wearing the uniform?" Black Canary, no Dinah asked.

"I am Superboy," he stood up dropping the drawing, "I am tired of this game. Make it end Jason."

"Jason?" Clark asked, "Son what are you-"

"I am not your son," he deadpanned, "and Lois is not my mother."

He ignored their hurt looks. What a fool he had been.

"Conner, sit down now," Clark said in a grave tone.

"I was created, not born to replace Superman in case he died or went bad," he didn't belong here. "But I don't want to be a spare part. That's what I am supposed to understand, right?"

"Conner, I am talking to you!" Clark shouted turning him around to face him.

"How do I end this?" he asked himself more than them. "Yeah, I wanted to know how it was like to be a kid, how it was to grow up with a family but isn't this too much? Why did it have to be you and her of all people?"

"Conner!" Clark shouted stepping back. He was flying a feet off the ground and away from them, "how are you doing that!?"

"I have to get out of here," he flew towards the window. He had to get away from them. This felt like a betrayal. He was to Clark the brother he never had; wanting anything else was a betrayal of his mentor's trust. He wished Clark and Lois were together but because it would make them happy, not because of some delusion of wanting to be part of a nuclear family.

"Conner, please stop sweetie," Lois said crying, "Come to us. If you stay with us, you will be happy."

"You want to stay, don't you?" he saw Tim standing in the corner of the room watering a small plant, "we won't be upset if you choose to stay."

"I could stay here and live an ordinary life," he said turning to look at them. Dinah was wearing her Black Canary uniform but looked frightened. Lois and Clark looked at him with unbreakable parental love, "but it would all be a lie. I need to go back. You and the rest need me."

"We need you!" Lois and Clark said together.

"You could still be a hero here," Tim said to him, "be the only hero of this world. Be their Superman."

"I don't want to be Superman," he said, "that would mean he is actually gone."

"Everyone has to go at some point," Tim said.

"Son, please," Lois was sobbing at that point in Clark's arms.

"This is what you desired, isn't not? The love of parents, a real family with a real life; not just weeks in a pod being half grown into almost a man," Tim was replaced by Jason.

"This isn't real. No one here needs me like in the real world," he turned to leave through the window, ignoring all of their voices.

"You are a fake! No one needs you!" a hand took hold of him and pulled him out through the window before slamming him brutally to the ground. He started at the furious face of himself, "you are a failure! A cheap copy!"

He hit the other him back before staring at him in shock. He was wearing his uniform but had murder written on his face. He knew this was his fear; to become an abomination made out of rage and violence. What he could become if he let his emotions become rampant.

"You should stay here and just rot!" the other Superboy shouted shooting at him with his heat vision. He flew up trying to get away from the distracting voices of Clark and Lois. They were still calling out to him. Saying they needed him. Saying they would protect him because he was their son and they loved him. Every word was like a stab.

"Who are you?" he stopped in midair and asked the other Superboy.

"I am Kon, the real Superboy, who else?" he said crossing his arms with a superior smirk.

"Funny, it doesn't feel like it," Conner didn't think this was the real him for a moment.

"What would a fake like you know? You wish to be normal when you have the gift of Rao inside you. You are broken if you can't see all you can do with it," the other Superboy said.

"Enough of that," he said rolling his eyes at the other Superboy. "I guess I have to beat you to get out of here, and even if it doesn't work, I bet it will feel good."

The afternoon wind blew, ruffling their hair. The anger on the other made his own more real. The heavy feeling in his stomach grew stronger. He kept himself from shaking though he wasn't sure if it was out of fear or anger. His weaknesses and secret desires were all in that place, in this other him. He wanted it all gone.

He extended his arms and wrapped his field around the other him. He tried to crush him.

"That tickles," the other Superboy said before his eyes shone red and he felt his bones being broken, "like I said, a cheap copy."

"Shut up!" he shouted before blasting at him with his heat vision. The other evaded the shots before shooting at him and hitting him on the chest. He spun back a few times before stopping in the air. He ripped away the burned shirt and throwing it into the air.

He was done playing. He flew straight at the other and landed a hit on his jaw before seizing his head by the hair and slamming his knee into the other's face. They exchanged blow for blow. He couldn't remember hurting this much before. He heard a bone crack and for a moment he thought it was his.

"Ahhhh!"

But the scream wasn't his. He looked at the leg of the other and saw it bend at an odd angle. He had done that? He felt his TK wrapped tightly around the leg, so it must have been.

"Bastard!" the other freed himself and grabbed his head before slamming his head against his own. Everything went black and he knew he was falling. He crashed and heard screams.

"Conner!" he heard someone call his name.

"Son!" not them, he thought, don't let it be them.

He forced his eyes open and saw red. His forehead had a gash and the blood was blinding one of his eyes. He sat up in the crater his fall had created and saw Clark and Lois standing a few feet away from them in fear and worry.

"Get away!" he shouted at them before he felt as if his insides were being put through a blender. The other him landed on his stomach, knee first. The shock of the impact threw the Kents back. He felt the bile rise through this esophagus. He threw up as the other started punching his face with the force of a wrecking ball in each hit. He could feel his cranium start to crack. He could be hurt. He wasn't invincible. He could die.

He felt the hot burning pain on his forehead and tried to move, but the other was keeping him in place with his TK. He was going to lobotomize him. He tried to concentrate to create a barrier or at least push him back, but the pain kept him from being able to concentrate.

"Get away from him!" the pain was gone.

"Oh God, please let him be okay, Connery, sweetie, please say something," Lois was by his side and whipping blood away from his face.

He opened his swollen eye and saw Clark stand between him the other. The other him was standing and whipping some blood from his lip.

"Ms. Lane," he looked up and saw her teary face close to his, "stop."

"But you don't want them to stop; even now you made him fight for you. You like them to protect you, to fret about you like a real mother and father would do," Kon said walking towards them, "but like you, they are imperfect copies."

He pushed off the ground and stood up.

"Don't interfere," he told Clark as he walked forwards.

"No," Clark said before Conner felt his hand on his shoulder, "we are not leaving you alone."

"C'mon cheap copy, you know you want to fight alongside him. Isn't that what you have wanted ever since you came out of your little pot?" the other mocked. "C'mon! AND ADMIT IT!"

"Yes," he said stopping, "I want this," he motioned with his hand to the fake world around them. "But, I have a responsibility because of the gift I was created with; because I owe it to the man that took me to be his brother."

"Conner?" he heard Clark call.

"This is all wrong," he said giving a forced smile, "I am sorry, but this all wrong. You are not me, they are not my parents, and this is not my life. I am not going to fight you anymore. I accept that this is what I wanted, but it doesn't make it right. I want out of this mockery of a life and go back to where I am really needed, now."

He waited for the other to say something, or Clark or Lois to beg him to stop. But, none of that happened. The world paused and then faded into darkness. He was afraid for a moment before all of his memories came back. He sat up on the bed he had been lying down and looked around. The others were still sleeping.

"So, are you feeling thankful yet?" Jason Todd asked as he leaned against the wall across from their beds.

"I am going to crush your skull," he said getting to his feet. He walked up to Jason and glared at him, but didn't put a finger on him. "Never again, you got it?"

"Got it," Jason said with a smirk.


	25. Chapter 25

Previously…

They were all sitting on the beds. None of them were happy to be there, but at least they weren't in some dungeon. The Outlaws were not attacking them, but instead talked among themselves in whispers.

"Enough," Superboy said, "the sooner you tell us what you want, the sooner we can tell you to shove it up your-"

"Language!" laughed the Red Hood, "Sheesh, one would think the big blue would have taught you better."

"He does make a point Jason, are you going to finally going to tell us what is it that you want?" Tim asked.

"So we can tell you to shove it up the place where the sun doesn't shine," Kid Flash said crossing his arms.

"We want to help you getting a better perspective of yourselves before you start the operation of your little team," Arsenal said. "Nothing strenuous, you are just going to be placed in a fake reality and face a few things about yourselves. And you won't have to move an inch away from your beds."

"It can actually be quite fun," Starfire said with a smile as she checked on his bandages, "depending on what you get it could also be a nightmare."

"Did you really have to knock us out to do this?" Jaime asked as he rotated his shoulder. At once Starfire was at his side. They all had received minor injuries which had been tended by Starfire. None of them, unsurprisingly, had complained about her getting close to them.

"Just making you aware of your weaknesses in case you didn't know them," Arsenal said with a smirk. "It took us a while to figure out some of you, but it was all worth it."

"Why should we follow with this test of yours?" Tim asked as he rubbed his bruises.

"Don't think of it as a test, but a revelation. We went through it and believe me; it will change the way you see things," The Red Hood said with a faraway look.

"How does this work?" Superboy asked with a frown.

"Is hard to explain," Jason said before showing them a small cloth bag, "none of us is very knowledgeable on magic."

"So again, why should we follow with this?" Tim asked.

"Let me put it this way," Jason said with a sharp smile, "this will make you live your darkest and most hidden desires. You will love it, or maybe hate it depending on how soon or if you will realize is all fake. Still, you will wish it was all real. You will come to a point where you have to make a choice, the choice of being your real self. When that happens, you might be giving up your dream or decide to make it a reality; when that happens you will wake up."

"I hate to admit it, but I am curious," Kid Flash said lying back on the bed, "hit me with it."

"You are crazy," Blue said lying down too, "but I am also in."

"If any of us get hurt, I will make you pay," Superboy said lying down.

"How long will it last?" Tim asked lying down as well.

"It depends on each individual. Some last a few minutes, others hours, but rarely days," Arsenal said looking serious. He reminded them of his old self. He wondered how long Arsenal had been in that dream world.

Once they were all lying down Arsenal went to each one of them and placed some of the blue powder from the pouch on their faces. He started to feel sleepy.

"Where did you get this?" Tim asked as his vision began to blur.

"From the Sandman, of course," the Red Hood said with a chuckle. "I know his sister; Death, and said that as long as we use it for good things she would keep getting it for us as we need it."

"Leave it to you to make friends with Death itself," Superboy laughed sounding sleepy.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Jason said making them all have their eyes go wide for a moment, "you might also get glimpses of your future through it; nothing to worry about."

"Bastard," Tim said before the lights went out and they forgot they were dreaming.

(Now we continue to the chapter)

Becoming Superboy 25

_Months had passed between his coming and goings to the Fortress of Solitude. Sometimes Kal El would teach him, other times he would go to the record room and watch history play out. He watched as the wars and victories of Krypton played before him. Still, he couldn't get a good grasp of who they were. They were proud, brave people, but there was something missing. Still, he learned about them and learned more about himself._

_He watched the last war in Krypton. Then one that led to their demise. He watched the injustice played on the clones of Krypton. This took him days to stomach. He asked for a few days to grasp. Kal El had offered his input; he knew that what they had done was wrong, but so were the clones when they became brutal murderers and doomed the planet. It was a chain of hate he wanted to remain part of history, but not become part of __**their**__ history. He refused his help and emerged himself in that part of Krypton's history, his history. He had not been the only one in this journey, but he would not end up like them. He would not become a monster because he had something they hadn't._

"_Who are you?" Kal El asked placing his hand a crystal. They stood in the Hall of Records, the place where he had watched the beginning of the universe._

"_Superboy, Conner Kent," he was all of them; the half clone of Superman, the youth in disguise._

"_Now, tell your story," Kal El said placing a hand on his shoulder before offering him a trusting smile. When Kal left the room, he was plunged into that now familiar darkness, but he no longer feared it. He knew this was always the beginning. _

"_I was not born, I was made," he started holding the crystal firmly as the Hall of Records began to show his memories of the lab he was created on. He saw himself lying on the pot sleeping and wearing his old solar suit. "I was Project Kr, and I was created to replace Kal El was he to ever die or turn against humanity. However, before I was…"_

_Time passed by slowly, but he learned a long time ago this was natural for the room to do. He was glad because he had a lot to tell; his hardships, his trials, his life for the past two years. He spoke of his view of what happened on Earth. Of the incredible potential each one of them had. Of those who were but flesh and bone but still wore masks to protect others. He spoke of the dark side of humanity; of the sick and crazy; of the lost and afraid. He spoke of despair that drove the darkness onwards, but he spoke overall about their hope. What drove them forwards in the face of the impossible and when all odds were against them. How they persisted when everything was lost. He spoke of how they were worth saving._

_He spoke of everything that went through his mind. Of love, of hate, of fraternity and friendship, of his beliefs, of where he had been and where he wanted to go, he spoke of what happened in Krypton with the clones; of what he thought and felt about it. When he finished, he placed the crystal on the wall, and it became part of the Hall of Records. He would add more to it later on, but for now he was content with what he had recorded. But overall he was happy because he was the first clone to ever enter his story in the Hall of Records._

_When he left the Hall of Records, he listened to the quietness of the Fortress of Solitude and rejoiced in the serenity. It was as if a massive weight had been lifted off him. The anger was still there, but it was no more than a whisper. He walked down the hall and listened to his own steps and voice._

"_When all is lost, nothing is lost, but when Hope is lost… All is lost… Hope is what keeps us alive," he finally understood why Hope was their shield. _

"_Through the falls and rises the primary element that keeps life going is hope," Kal El stood at the end of the hall. "Who are you?" Kal El asked again._

"_Kon El," now that he had added his story to the Hall of Records, he was no longer without a __**home**__._

"_Welcome to the House of El," he watched as his mentor walked up to him holding a Kryptonian crown. He bowed his head and felt as Kal El fit the crown onto his head. It was a black metal band that went around the forehead. Its center had the emblem of the House of El in red and black which rested between his brows. He lifted his head and saw his mentor giving him a proud smile. He too was wearing a crown but was of red and blue colors, "brother, I am proud of you, never forget that."_

_He was captured in a strong embrace, "is this part of the rite?"_

"_Nope," Kal El laughed before letting go of him._

"_Then let's never speak about it," he said hoping his face wasn't red._

"_If you say so," he laughed, "now, let's get going. The night is not over."_

"_We don't have to go ahead with the rest," the next part was meant to be a feast for all the members of the House of El, but with only the two of them it would be a very sorry excuse for a feast._

"_Are you worried I will present you with a bride?" Kal El laughed. Had they really been in Krypton, he would be presented with a female chosen for him by The Master of the Gestation Chambers. _

"_Some traditions are better left dead," he said flinching just at the thought of it. Actually, he thought, he would probably never be allowed to stay in the same room alone with a female they had been in Krypton._

"_Agreed," Kal El said, for his parents were of the few that ignored the tradition. Kal's mother came from a military family while his father came from one of scientists. They were meant to marry people who came from families in the same fields, but dire circumstances brought them together and they chose to remain together._

"_They were incredible people, weren't they?" if it wasn't for Jor El and Lara Lor-Van they wouldn't be there._

"_Yeah," Kal said as they reached the dining hall._

"_SURPRISE!" the Team and League shouted almost making him jump out of his skin._

"_They are like family, are they not?" Kal El said as he gave him a small push forwards, "welcome Kon El."_

_His friends, or at least most of them, had kept themselves from asking what he had been doing in the Fortress. He was happy they knew. A part of the rite was that he was to remain quiet about it for he was not allowed to receive help from others but his mentor. There was a feast laid on the table which they soon joined in._

"_So, are you going to start wearing that?" Wally asked pointing at his crown, "Because if it is, it's cool." But, he didn't sound like he meant it._

"_No, is only for important occasions and for the head of the House to wear whenever he sees fit," he said giving Kal a pointed look._

"_That's too bad, I think it looks really nice," M'gann said glancing at it._

"_Actually, I am glad I don't have to wear it all the time," Kon said touching the crest, "it doesn't go along with my usual uniform."_

_He listened to them talk and laugh. They knew this was important to him and made sure to show the appropriate interest, even though they didn't understand what it all meant._

"_What does Kon El mean?" Artemis asked after Kal El called him by his chosen name._

"_It means abomination of the house of El," he said calmly._

"_What?" Artemis threw a look at Kal, who raised his hands as in saying not-my-choice._

"_I chose it," he told them._

"_Why would you choose something like that?" Wally asked._

"_I am sure Kon El has a good reason to have chosen that name," Kaldur said, "and he will share it with us if he wishes to later. For now, let's enjoy the celebration. Coming to age doesn't happen more than once."_

_He was thankful for friends like Kaldur. He thought about telling them right then, but then again it wasn't an easy subject to speak of. They spent the rest of the night celebrating. He lost count the number of times he was congratulated. At that moment in his life, he couldn't ask for more. _

_888_

He flew side by side with the Super Cycle. Tim and Bart had fallen asleep and Jaime seemed to be in conversation with his armor. He wished for at least one of them to say something. Though Tim was probably the one that had it the worst after seeing him wake up and attack Jason, he still didn't want to remember what he had seen. He was actually thankful Tim wanted them to stay to talk about their team. It just felt wrong to face Clark so soon. He still felt like he had betrayed him by wishing he was a father to him. The man cared for him as a brother, and that was more than enough.

He wondered if Tim understood they needed some time before going home. Well, that and talking about their team was long overdue and at the top of that have some fun in town. A few weeks ago had anyone asked him to go out, they would have had to drag him to do it, much like M'gann used to and how Lori did the previous week. Now, he wanted to enjoy being young.

He hated to admit it (and like hell he would ever tell Jason about it), but he was actually grateful for most of the experience. Not the part of Clark and Lois being his parents, but making him understand just because he was a clone it didn't mean he couldn't go out and have fun as a teenager. Yeah, he wouldn't get a childhood but he wasn't going to waste his first years brooding over it anymore. No matter what was ahead, he would enjoy life a little more. And why not even pick a pencil every once in a while a draw something? Or read a comic book? He liked reading, but there was so much he could explore.

"Do you really think some of that stuff will happen?" Blue asked now flying next to him, "Jason said we might have seen glimpses of our future."

"I wouldn't trust much of what that guy says," Superboy said but started to wonder the same. Was there some truth in those dreams?

"It could beeee!" Kid Flash said waking up from his nap with a stretch, "or we could make it real. Why? Did you see something interesting?"

"Sort of," Blue said in a quiet voice before he frowned and was silent for a moment before a tilted smile appeared on his face, "actually, there is a lot."

"Me too," Kid Flash said leaning forwards, "what about you?"

"A few things," Superboy admitted, "the rest are impossible."

"That's the thing about dreaming, right?" Kid Flash said with a sigh, "we can try our best, but we will always fall a little short, but is worth a try."

The San Francisco sea line came into view and he heard Blue gasp. It was a beautiful view, but it wasn't really that great.

"It's around here," Blue stopped in midair.

"What?" Kid Flash leaned even further in his seat, close to falling down. Interestingly enough, Tim remained sleeping. Though he didn't blame him for whatever his friends was dreaming, he could sense it was healing whatever damage the nightmare from before had done.

"The place where I saw our base," Blue flew ahead looking side to side as if searching for the perfect spot, "it was a tower sitting on a small island. It was shaped like a T." Blue stopped in the spot before flying higher, looked towards the city and then came back down with an excited smile, "this was the place."

"There is nothing here," Kid Flash said.

"I swear I saw it right here," Blue Beetle said spreading his arms wide.

"A T-shaped tower worked as our base of operations?" Superboy couldn't help sounding incredulous. That really seemed right out of a comic book.

"Why a T?" Kid Flash asked.

"I don't know," Blue's smile faded as he sighed.

"It didn't occur to you to ask?" Superboy had the urge to hit his friend on the back of the head. If he was right, and they had indeed seen glances of their future, they needed to talk about what they had seen. He saw Tim sit up and frown in confusion. He didn't blame him since they did stop in the middle of nowhere special. .

"I was sort of distracted with everything else…" Blue mumbled, "but Booster called us the Ts! Sooo, this might be one of those future related visions the Hood talked about."

"The Ts?" Superboy asked since it seemed too vague, but he recalled the comic he had found in his dream.

"Well, apparently T for Team," Kid Flash said and this made him wonder if he had a similar clue.

"I saw a comic book in my dream. It was the first clue I got," Superboy decided to tell them, "it was called Teen Team,"

"Ahh, no," Tim said before leading the Super Cycle to get closer to the sea, "but this is a good place."

"There is nothing here," Kid Flash said voicing what he thought.

"We wanted a place where people could see us, yet our enemies and the curious can't get close," Tim said with calmness before looking at Blue with a lopsided smile, "though I am not sure about the whole T-shaped tower."

"It was actually a cool place," Blue told them, "there were a bunch of kids training to be heroes, we were helping them, and we were also having fun."

"We were training others?" Superboy asked with a frown. Okay, he was no mentor or was ready to be one. Still, the idea was a good one. The League could only look after so many kids, and with the increasing number of Metas someone had to do something to make sure they didn't fall into the wrong path. Not long ago Blue and Kid Flash had worked together to free a large number of Metahumans captured by a mob boss. She had been looking to brainwash them and use them as her personal army. If they could offer a place for them to feel at peace and learn to control their powers, they would be able to defend themselves, if not cooperate to look after each other. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea.

"We were like the Team, but yet we weren't," Blue said as a smile started to stretch on his face again. "It was a fun place. A safe place, we made sure those kids stayed out of trouble, taught them how to help others; be real heroes. Each one of them was so brave. When we went to fight the Reach together, we were like a force of nature to be reckoned with."

He liked the sound of that. There was no denying he was strong, but since he first came out of the League, he had been working in teams. It was part of his nature by then. They might not be as strong as their mentors, but together they could do anything. They had already proved this once when they went to Bart's time and defeated the Reach.

"We were Titans," Tim said before they all became silent for a moment. The Ts… that's what that meant! He wanted to laugh aloud but settled for a chuckle.

"Team Titans?" Kid Flash asked after a minute, but that didn't feel right.

"No, just Titans," Superboy said.

"I like it," Tim said, "do we all agree?"

"Just like that?" Blue asked.

"If we don't decide now, we are never going to agree on something," Tim said and he was right, besides it was a real name, "so what do you say?"

"It has a nice ring to it," he said without a pause.

"When there's trouble, who do you call?" Kid Flash said with a smirk, "You call the Titans!"

"Titans… Titans! I like it," Blue said.

"Then we are the Titans," Red Robin said.

And with that it was settled.

888

He could sense them way before any of them could see them. There was Nightwing's familiar presence, and Damian's hostile one waiting for them.

"Nightwing and Damian are waiting for us in your pad," he told Tim.

The youth nodded without breaking his silence. He wished, probably just like Tim, that they could find it hard to believe that Nightwing had kept his contact with the Red Hood a secret. However, after the events of a year and a half ago it was hardly a surprise. They were still friends and worked together when in the Team, but the trust they had built the five years before the event were lost. Though it was for the best of intentions, he had some well picked words for the man.

"I get Nightwing wants to check on us," Kid Flash said as he placed the camouflage around them, "but Damian?"

"Maybe he wants to get another shot at Tim," Blue said frowning and he didn't doubt it though he didn't believe Nightwing would allow Damian to actually hurt Tim. Then again, they didn't know this kid that well, just a version of him.

The Damian they knew was from Kid Flash's time. The man had locked up Blue and had planned to execute him among other things that made them distrust him. In the end, he became one of the leaders of the world. From what Kid Flash had seen the months he remained there, Damian was a very strict man, but not without fault. Sometimes he lacked heart when it came to communicating with others which usually led to the man being very alone.

They landed the Super Cycle on the roof before changing into civvies they had left there.

"Don't let your guard down," Tim told him, which almost made him chuckle. The one that should be careful was him. There was nothing a kid like Damian could do to him unless he had-.

"I thought you said Batman kept the Kryptonite under lock and key," he told his friend as they went down the stairs.

"He was trained by the League of Assassins, and personally by Talia and Rash Al Ghul," was all Tim needed to tell him to keep him on his toes.

When they entered the pad, they found Dick at the counter trying to get Damian to eat a slice of pizza.

"I swear you are going to love it," Dick said as the kid gave him a glare that could make almost all men shake on their feet.

"Do you have any idea what is in that?" Damian said before jumping off the tall stool and going to sit on the couch instead as he tugged at his clothes. He had to guess this was the first time the kid wore civvies; he used to do the same thing.

"Hey guys! I brought some-" Dick didn't get to finish as the next moment Tim had knocked him off the stool with one punch to the jaw.

"Peace offering? We figured," Bart said grabbing a slice.

"I guess I deserve that," Dick said getting up and rubbing his jaw. He could already see a bruise forming.

"You do deserve it," Tim said sitting on one of the stools, "what do you want?"

"Just to see how it had gone," Dick said sitting across from him.

"If it were just that, you could have just called," he knew his old friend was there for something else, and he was sure it had to do with the sulking pre-teen in the couch.

"That's starting to sound like a good idea," Dick said rubbing his jaw again.

"So, what is it?" Tim asked after a bite.

"Could you look after Damian until tomorrow? I have too much to do in Blüdhaven and Batman is away in a mission with the League," Dick said placing his hands together and bowed his head slightly. He knew this trick and he hoped Tim did too. "Please!"

"What about Alfred?" he knew Tim was finding it difficult to say no, but there was little chance they would be able to get anything done with Damian around.

"Do you really want him at the mercy of that kid?" Dick said throwing the child a wary look.

"I can hear you," Damian said glaring at all of them.

"We know," Tim and Dick said at the same time.

"Just until tomorrow, I already took all his weapons from him," Dick said.

"Ha!" Damian laughed, "someone with my skills doesn't require weapons to get the job done."

"Not helping!" Dick shouted at the kid and then everyone froze. He had thought it was a trick, but it seemed like the kid was really getting on his nerves, and it had only been one week.

"We are going to be busy," Tim said with a troubled frown. He knew that Dick was having a hard time, but they also had to start working on setting their base.

"Hitting downtown tonight!" shouted Bart before Jaime grabbed him in a headlock, "Gha! He is on mode!"

"I will teach you mode!" he was glad Jaime wrestled Bart into the ground, or he would have done it himself.

"That's great! You can show him how to have fun like a normal kid," Dick took his chances where he could and he didn't blame him. He was almost sure Bart didn't just slip. The kid probably had a soft spot for Damian since he knew him in his own time. Heck, he too understood the child, since though differently, but both had been raised to be weapons.

Almost all of them, including Damian, raised an eyebrow at Dick's statement about being normal.

"Alright, as normal as you guys can get," Dick said but Tim remained unmoved. "Seriously, the kid sets traps in the oddest of places, like oh I don't know; the toilet!"

"Is not my fault you lowered your guard Grayson," they saw the kid grin shamelessly.

"And he also sets surprise attacks on old men who just want to drink his afternoon tea, and me," Dick said looking ready to throw his hands in the air. He wondered where Batman was when all of this was going on.

Still, Tim remained unmoved by all they had heard. He had to give it to their leader; he could be coldblooded if he wanted.

"Alright," Dick sighed, "I will owe you one."

"You will owe all of us," getting Dick to owe you one wasn't easy and he wasn't missing on that.

"Fine, I owe all of you," the man said running a hand through his dark locks, "are we good?"

"Just one question," Bart said finally free of Jaime's grasp, "is he vaccinated?"

"Could you think before you speak!" Jaime said rubbing his temples.

"I can't promise I will return him in one piece," Tim said as Dick got to his feet.

"Fair enough," Dick said before getting another glare from Damian, "I am going to regret this, aren't I?" he asked the kid.

"When you least expect it," Damian said before Dick gave another long sigh and left.

Once the door was closed, they all turned to look at the kid that glared at them. Suddenly returning home didn't seem like such a bad idea.


	26. Chapter 26

Becoming Superboy 26

The place was fantastic. He had lived in the oddest of places, and more recently in the farm and then Clark's cramped apartment. Even greater than that, they didn't have neighbors who would be suspicious of their mysterious coming and goings. Batman was a good friend though he wondered if there was more to it than met the eye. He didn't doubt there was, but would probably learn what it was later on.

He placed the last box from the moving truck in the living room and stood there watching the sun through their new panoramic view window.

"Is that the last?" Clark asked as he started to open one of the boxes in the kitchen.

"Yeah. You know we got this thing called Super-Speed? We could be done with this in less than a minute," he said picking up a bookshelf before carrying it to the small study in the apartment.

"We could, but sometimes just taking your time is okay," Clark said pulling out a stack of plates rarely used.

"I suppose," he said opening another box and started sorting books. Some were going to the study, others to his bedroom. "Did you already check for bugs?" he asked.

"The regular and Bat kind," he said as he stared at a pot he didn't remember having.

"Some friends, right?" he said remembering a few years back how upset Clark had been when he found Bat-Bugs at his favorite dely. Though he would never admit, Batman learned that Superman didn't like his private life monitored.

"You get used to it," Clark said with a shrug.

"That's sad but no sadder than that third bedroom," he couldn't help smirking, "wishful thinking?"

It had been weird when he returned from San Francisco to find Lois dressed in one of Clark's shirt as she helped him pack. The moment she started making excuses about spilled coffee and such he forgot all about the dream. He told them he would go and grab something to eat to keep things from getting more awkward. By the time he returned Lois was dressed in the same suit she had come in the previous day and on her way out. When she told him to not say a word or she would reveal his identity to the world as her cheeks shone red, he burst out laughing. She had called him some unkind names before promising to put some Kryptonite in his cereal and then left. If he was to assign Lois a family role in his life it wouldn't be that of a mother, but a sister.

"I was hoping Kara would move in with us. Last time I saw her she said her roommate was moving out and was having trouble finding someone new," Clark said keeping an eye on him for his reaction, but he didn't betray anything.

"Good luck with that," he said not meaning it at all.

"Wouldn't you talk with her?" Clark asked innocently; he could go to someone else with that story because he didn't believe it for a second.

"I saved her from an alien parasite, and she still doesn't like me. What do you think?" he said trying to not sound snappy, but to his embarrassment he failed.

"You owe me," Clark said matter-of-factly.

"For what?" Okay, so he didn't pay rent, or food, or the gas for his motorcycle though he could just fly, and then there was the fact that half of his DNA was from him. Okay, so maybe owed him a lot, but he couldn't just decide to cash it in when he thought convenient.

"Have you seen the news?" Clark asked him.

"Ehm… didn't have much time for that today," he had forgotten all about the previous night with the dread of facing Clark after his experience at the Outlaw's island, and then the sudden move.

"I guess you kids slept through it. It seems the world thinks the League shouldn't let a bunch of kids run rampant into the awe hours of the day," Clark said calmly, good because he was starting to panic.

"This is going to be a pain," he knew from the moment they spotted those drug dealers at the club the night before that they would probably end up on the first pages, though he hadn't been sure what would be their take on it. He guessed a bunch of unsupervised teenagers engaging armed men would not look good in most lights.

"Like I said, you owe me," Clark repeated with a smug smile.

"What did you do?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Cat is making a special in a few hours about the whole thing. I told her I wanted it to show the good stuff you guys did and for a moment forget that none of you are old enough to drink. That, plus having her agree to let you and Lori transmit the interview through our feeds," Clark said.

"Like Cat would let a story like that slip her by," he countered.

"She wasn't happy you wanted the Planet to cover it too," Clark counter countered.

"The more, the merrier, right?" he said trying an innocent smile, but failed miserably.

"Not always, but either way; You. Owe. Me." Clark said with an even smugger smile.

"Fine, okay, I will talk to miss sunshine," he said with a sigh, "but aren't you upset?"

"Besides having an Amazon call me at some ungodly hour in the morning and tell me I need to be a better guardian, not really. You kids did a good job, all while looking after Bruce's little spawn," besides, they helped a lot of people and wasn't what they were all about at the end?

"Oh," Okay, he had been expecting some reprisal, but then again Clark was more open minded that people gave him credit for.

"There's a hostage situation," Clark said with a sigh, "could you finish here?"

"Go," he said knowing every second counted.

Once Clark was gone, he went and unpacked everything with his powers and was done in about two minutes. He could appreciate the ordinary stuff in life, but at that time he didn't have time to waste on it. He went to work on all the assignments for the following week and the project he was working alongside Lois before sending her the first draft. When done, he looked around his new bedroom.

He hadn't taken the time to enjoy having his own space once again. The place could be called plain by some, but to him it was the calm. It reminded him of his room in the Fortress of Solitude, which he was way overdue for visiting. He and Clark had agreed to move Wolf to the Fortress. Sphere meanwhile was staying with Tim. He thought about relocating her to the Fortress too, but she could be of help to Red while they got their base built.

Just as he started to doze off, his cell phone rang. He noticed then he had ten missed calls from Lori. He grimaced before answering and listening to Lori tell him off about not yet having an answer from the young heroes.

"I was right! They were up to something. They call themselves the Titans. I know they are kids, but couldn't this mean they split from the League? Have they given you an answer yet? We can't wait much longer," she said in one breath.

"They said yes, and I already talked to Lois and Clark spoke to Cat. They will let us transmit it through their website."

"You-you are not serious," she said before he heard her drop something.

"I am very," he said calmly.

"OH MY GOD! WHY DID YOU WAIT TO TELL ME-"

He pulled the phone away from his ear and waited until she was over.

"I just got the confirmation a while ago," he told her as he went to ClarkCatropolis for Cat's special.

"What am I going to wear? Maybe something hip," she said sounding like a teen girl who just got asked to the prom.

"No one says hip anymore," he reminded her but was ignored.

"Or something more business-like, what do you think?" he asked her.

"You should ask Cat," he knew that even if he gave his honest opinion women usually ended up wearing what they wanted.

"You are right, oh my, just which ones are we interviewing?" she asked and he could tell she was bouncing on the tips of her toes.

"The kids from last night," he told her.

"Okay, so that's Superboy; Super-ugh, Kid Flash, Blue Beetle and the two mysterious teens? Wait; don't tell me you know who they are," she asked barely able to hold her excitement.

"The younger of the two is the current Robin and we aren't interviewing him. Batman is still training him according to the other one; Red Robin. He was the previous Robin," he said, there were only five minutes before Cat's special started.

"Red Robin, how original," he could almost hear her roll her eyes.

"They don't pick their names out of a jar Lori," he said unable to keep the sharpness of his voice.

"Soorry," she said not sounding one bit, "I forgot you are actually friends with them."

"He asked us to keep his new identity a secret until the interview. They don't trust just anyone with this. So, don't take it for granted" he said trying to keep his temper under control. But, he hadn't forgotten how stupid she had behaved a few nights ago just to get an interview out of him.

"Okay," she said a little more submissive. It wasn't like him to snap at her. She could usually rant for a long time and no matter how rude or forwards she was, he never got upset at her.

"We will work on the interview tomorrow, and I agreed to meet Lois on Wednesday to see the forum we would use for the interview. You can join us if you aren't too busy. On Friday, we are going to meet with them to talk about the interview as there are some topics they would really like not to touch," he told her.

"But interviews are so we can ask the hard questions if they give us a guide, we won't really get anything worth out of them," Lori said.

"Let's just listen to them first and then we might be able to work a deal," he told her, "we need to get this completed in two weeks."

"Alright," Lori agreed also know if it went longer than that the impact they had left the night before would be forgotten.

"I have to go; Clark and I moved to a new place and there is still a lot of unpacking to do," actually, he was tired. He just wanted to listen to Cat's special which would start in a minute and then go to sleep.

"See you tomorrow," she said.

"Bye," he said and hung up before changing to more comfortable clothing and then waited for Cat's special.

888

Clark sat across from Cat as they had breakfast. The woman stabbed her little tomatoes with such force the juices jumped all over the place.

"So, I take you haven't had any luck with the mole." It had been an issue that had started out small, but now more and more they were getting their stories published at the same time if not after the Daily Planet. People were beginning to say _they_ were the ones stealing the stories from them. If it weren't for specials like the one from the night before, they would already be facing a bigger problem. Thankfully, the New Daily Planet under the care of Galaxy Broadcasting would never steal a good take on the capes. He didn't want to point fingers, but it might be because Morgan Edge was close friends with, of I don't know, Lex Luthor.

"I already questioned everyone, and you know how through I can be when I want to," said the woman who bought the same pair of shoes until no one else had them. "That Lori girl has been dropping by constantly to lend a 'helping hand,' are you sure she isn't the one?"

"She might be a Luthor, but she has been keeping away from the family business, so no," the girl barely visited Lex in the hospital, and at those times it was usually because her mother made her.

"What about Conner? He is young and impressionable, and if he is any more like you, is possible that he likes Lois,"

"Right," he scoffed at the idea and then paused. Conner was his clone, and his other half was Lex's who at one point had also been after Lois.

"Now he sees it," Cat said with a smirk.

"Even if that was true," wasn't true. Conner told him just about everything, "he wouldn't sell us out," or more precisely, him.

"Hope that's true Clark," she said with a sigh before flipping through the pages of the things they needed to look at "have you received any word from your blue tights wearing friends. The League hasn't released any official statement about what happened with those kids."

"They are not tights, and the only thing he said was that they would make a statement after the interview Conner and Lori are going to make," the League though through a lot of his input had agreed to this. He was sure Wonder Woman was going to cross him off her holiday shopping list.

"With last night's special and the promotion of theirs, our views have grown even more," Lori said in a better mood, "we have to make sure we keep it in those numbe-" the building shook, "what a hell is that?"

Though they were far, they could both see the giant head of a dragon-like creature.

"Clark, we need someone to-" but the moment she turned around Clark was gone.

888

The apartment felt so empty. She sat on her bed and waited until the front door closed before she picked out. Siobhan, her only real friend since she arrived at Earth, was moving out. Not because she didn't like Kara anymore, but simply her life was moving somewhere else. Siobhan had punk band which had just been picked up by a great label and were going on tour, and she was moving to live with her boyfriend who was the guitarist of said band when they returned.

Though she wouldn't miss the awkward moments when she caught them on the couch (she made sure they took it with them), she would miss the strange young woman. Siobhan had a magical voice in more than one way. Besides having that beautiful singing voice she would miss waking up to every morning, her friend could speak any language she heard, including those of other long-gone worlds. She could speak it even better than Kal El and Kon El. It was actually thanks to her that she was able to dominate one of the countless languages of Earth (she still couldn't understand why they needed more than one).

She went about to make breakfast before she headed out to college, and then to work. What would her parents think of her at her age still not going through the initiation rite and still not having completed her education? Not that it was rare for earthlings to do so until they reached even older ages. She wished it was like Krypton where you just went along with what your family did, but that strange and overly complicated world you had to choose. And if things didn't work out did you have start all over again? It was a nightmare.

She finished washing the dishes and prepared for another dull day on Earth.

That was until she heard a screech that shattered the windows of her place.

"SKREEEEE!"

Okay, whoever had done that was going to pay and she didn't mean just punch their lights out.

She flew out only to see said creature smacking his cousin with its tale and sending him flying away. The creature followed after him a moment later.

"_A tripedal Curosiananium?" _she said before she flew after them.

888

He didn't want to do it, but he told Clark he would. The thought kept bouncing in his head until he was no longer to sleep. He listened again to Cat's special to try to lighten his mood.

**Last night, a group of young heroes dismantled one of the most prominent chain of drug dealers in San Francisco, and I really mean it in one night. Yet, how does the public respond.**

"**What is the League thinking by sending kids here?!"**

"**They are a bad example for our children."**

**Our own Superboy, Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, and two more unknown teens were said to have taken down dealers. These men were selling to children as young as twelve years old and also keeping thirty-four more of them in cages to try out new drugs. If that's a bad example, then does this mean we should allow our youth to look away when they see someone doing something so wrong? **

He really hoped Kara would say no even if it meant she would kick him out through a window. Clark had already tried to have them get along in the holidays, and though not exactly a disaster it wasn't working. Every single time they talked about their point of view on the whole Krypton Clone Attack, but they could never reach an agreement. There were things they both agreed on, but others were still there.

"**I thought I was going to die when someone busted the door open. We all covered out mouths because some of them- some of them would…"**

**The young received inhuman treatment in accordance to Dr. Belle from the Sunrise Hospital and some of them wouldn't have survived for long if they had stayed. Dr. Belle couldn't give us further information as to protect the wellbeing of the children.**

"**I saw a red blur and then saw Kid Flash standing before one of the girls' cages. He had looked really angry before he broke the lock on her cage. A moment later all of our locks were broken and our cages were open."**

"**Superboy and Kid Flash took us out of the building before taking us here. I think both of them were very mad and I am glad they were. Those guys got what they deserved."**

"**I just want to see my parents again."**

"**Thank you for saving us Titans."**

**The young team of heroes left a big call card on the last of the organization known as the Tarantula.**

He wasn't sure how was it that Cat got those kids testimonies so fast but was thankful she blurred their faces. They had a long way to recover fully and they didn't need people to known them as the caged kids. They had the right to try to have a healthy life.

He remembered how upset Bart had been, and he would have been the same if it didn't mean his powers could blow up the place. The closer he got to Kara's place he made sure to keep reminding himself that. He stopped at a red light and took a deep breath. It was just a question if she said yes he would deal with it if she said no, everything would be back to normal. He was sure she would say no. Of course, she would say no. Even the blind could see that she hated that he got along with Clark better than her. What did she know about being a journalist anyways? In Krypton, there was no such thing, and of course she would have trouble understanding their purpose.

The hairs on the back of his head had stood up on end before he heard a cold voice.

"_Fascinating. You are a clone, but how is that possible? How could any technology on Earth ever hope to forge a clone from the far more complex genes of my fellow Kryptonians?"_

He looked up and saw a man, or at least he thought it was a man with long black hair floating in front of him. He claimed to be Kryptonian, but he didn't look one bit like it. His eyes were black tar pools and his skin a shade between paper white and walking dead with scars that didn't heal correctly. His torso was bare, but the rest was like Kal El's uniform for the exception of the long wavering red waist cape. But what really disturbed him was that on his chest he had the crest of the House of El carved backward. It reminded him of Match.

Someone honked their horn behind him and he noted no one but him could see the floating man in front of him. He took off on his motorcycle at all speed knowing this so-called Kryptonian would have no trouble following him.

"_You should know Earth's primitive vehicles are no match for me, clone,"_ the man said flying side by side with him. He felt his skin erupt in goosebumps at seeing him closer and his senses screamed at him of the unspoken danger.

"_I know, I just don't want people seeing me talking to myself. I have an image to keep, you know?" _and he didn't need any camera or witness presence his change from the stoic Conner Kent to Superboy.

"_If you mean not learning of your brutish nature, they shall learn soon enough,"_ the man-like being laughed making his gut clench.

"_Are all Kryptonians such charmers?" _keep him distracted as long as you can. He made a sharp turn and went into a parking place before taking his clothes off in a fraction of a second only leaving his uniform behind. When he came out the being was waiting for him, but now with a frown.

"_You dare wear the crest of my House,"_ the man said appearing before him. He didn't even get a chance to create a barrier before the man blasted him through the building and two more before he crashed into the middle of a road.

"Everyone! Run!" he felt that meaning this guy probably had the same strength as Superman. If he was going to survive had had to hit him with everything and that meant he couldn't have civilians distracted him.

"_Do not attempt to escape or resist me. Compared to me, you a grain of sand challenging the sea," _the man appeared to him in a flash of light. That wasn't super-speed. He just appeared.

He didn't contradict him because it felt like it. His brain was still rattling in his skull as he pulled himself from the crater he created. He could only hope his T.K. would give him a surprise advantage against him. He expanded his senses until he had hold of everything he could make use of and then threw it at match five speeds at him. The earth shook and he heard screams of fear in the distance. He wouldn't let him hurt them if he could help it. But he wished he could assure them that so they wouldn't be afraid. He could sense their combined fear all the way where he was.

A long silence reigned as the pile of rubble stood still. Now, he only had to contact Kal to help him move the guy without causing any further damage.

"_Debris? Is that how you protect yourself?"_

"OOFT!"

Next thing he knew he was bombarded with his own missiles at double the speed that they had been thrown at him. It couldn't be that he had the same powers as him right? He lifted his head from the pile where he had landed and stared at the barrier the Kryptonian had created around himself. There was some relief in his chest as he realized this man had used his barrier to blast the debris at him but had no actual power over them like he did.

"_I guess I couldn't expect any less from the shame of the House of El,"_ again he appeared before him. This time he planted a foot on his chest, right over his crest.

"_Let me go!" _he tried to move the man with his strength and T.K, but he wouldn't move even an inch.

He applied more force in his step until he was being pushed at all speed through the underground layers of the city.

"Ahhh!" he felt one of his ribs start to crack and his back finally hit bedrock.

"_Stay still abomination, your pathetic existence will be over in a moment."_ The foot moved and then slammed into his head.

"Ahhhhhhhh!" though it felt as if his head was going to split in two, he managed to create a barrier around his body. Otherwise, his brains would already be splattered about.

"_Just like an unnecessary pest, you have to make things more complicated," _but he was laughing, as if he was no more than a little critter.

"_I am tired of always being the patient one with you Kryptonian bastards. To hold my temper,"_ he said through clenched blood covered teeth. He pushed the foot back as his eyes started to shine red. _"NO MORE!"_ he shouted before blasting the man back. The red began to bleed out of his eyes as he continued to clench his teeth trying to keep control over the amount of power that was pouring out. He had never allowed this much out without breaking something.

"_How dare you," _the man said with a snarl as he pulled himself up with a bloody lip.

"_How dare I?! You are the one that is trying to kill me!" _if he was going to break something it would be that bastard. _"I will teach you a lesson on not messing with clones!"_

"_Disgusting,"_ though he slammed the man on the ground and obviously heard some of his bones crack, he still managed to piss him off even further.

He floated in front of the man not bothering to hide his rage. He said with a forced smile,_ "I know you are new around here, but the truth is that I am not just any clone. I was made to be a living weapon."_

"_You are just embarrassing yourself clone. I only lowered my guard to see what you were actually capable of," _he disappeared before his eyes, _"as you said your structure is something else."_

He was lifted off the floor by the Kryptonian's grip on the back of his neck.

"_I will find your secrets clone, even if I have to pull you apart atom by atom."_

"AARRRGH!"


	27. Chapter 27

A Kara Chapter

Becoming Superboy 27

"_But it was Kryptonian! I am sure!"_ she said trying to stop him.

"Kara," Superman said with a sigh as he lifted what remained of the beast that appeared in the city. It wasn't much since he had to detonate an underground oil pocket to finish it. _"That's not possible. Besides, the creature you are speaking about was from Krypton's prehistoric time. How could it have survived after it had already gone extinct?"_

She had been a moment too late, but she was sure it had been a Tripedal Curosiananium.

"_But it could mean Krypton still exists, don't you want to go back home?"_ she said flying in front of him to stop him.

"_There is nothing left where Krypton used to be,"_ he said with a frown.

"_Or maybe you care more about this world than your own!" _She shouted at the top of her lungs before biting her lip. She expected him to reprimand her for her crossing the line. She knew he had grown on Earth and considered himself an Earthling as far as he could.

"_This world is our home now,"_ he said in a calm tone.

"_Kal El, I am sorry," _she said lowering her hands and head.

"_It's fine. You had a few rough days. Go home and rest. I will take this to the fortress and have it examined. We will know its real origin once the study is done," _he told her as he started to fly away.

"_Alright," _she said turning to go back to Metropolis. She had a lot of glasses to clean.

"_Kara," _he said stopping her,_ "I wish I could understand you better. I have no memories of Krypton, or our family like you do, but be sure that I have looked into every possibility to see them again."_

She had nodded before he offered her a kind smile. She tried to return it, but it was crooked. It wasn't just the planet that was different, the people too. Back home, they were to keep their emotions guarded, even among those of their family. There were few words of kindness and a lot of responsibility and honoring the House of El. She couldn't recall her parents staying in the same room for long. It had been what on Earth they called an arranged marriage. It had been the norm back then. Her mother had been lucky to be married into a family of higher standing, and she had been seeking the same for her though it was hard to go superior than the House of El.

As she flew back home, she thought of how confusing and messy Earth was. She knew her uncle would have loved it. He broke every tradition possible. One of them was picking his own partner though he was of the House of El and Lara had been a soldier. She had been an excellent aunt, and her mother too had liked her, but the rest of the House looked down on her. There had been many times when they tried to put her down by flaunting their intelligence.

She smiled a little as she recalled how she had surprised them with her vast knowledge. How she wished Kal El could have seen her. Jor El had been so pleasingly surprised that he went to embrace her in front of everyone. Everyone talked about the incident for a whole cycle.

"_Get up Kara, you can do better than that," _Lara had helped her through the physical part of her rite of passage. She had gotten the top score, even beating the participants that came from military Houses.

When she finally arrived home, she didn't bother to change or clean up the glass. She went straight to bed and collapsed on it. One of the legs broke and she cursed in a few choice words she had learned on Earth.

She knew Kal El trusted her, much like his mother used to. It had been so stupid to tell him something like that. She felt terrible about it. After all, he only knew his parents and home world for a few hours.

"_Kara Zor-El. Wake up"_ she heard a voice and opened her eyes. She was in a place surrounded by fire, just like the firefalls of Krypton. She really missed her home.

"_Who! Where am I?!"_ it had to be a dream.

"_You are not dreaming. These aren't the firefalls of Krypton. I don't have to read your mind to know your thoughts Kara Zor-El. My name is H'el and I am from Krypton." _A man, or at least she thought it was a man appeared before her speaking fluent Kryptonian. She didn't know who he really was, but he was not Kryptonian.

"_Who the hell are you? What have you done to my apartment?!" _her landlady was not the most understanding of people.

"_There is no need to worry,"_ he told her, which pissed her off even more. She just wanted some peace and quiet.

"_I am only telling you this once; get out of my apartment!" _she said clenching her hands. She had enough for the past few days. First she got taken over by an alien parasite. The she got saved by no other than Kon, and somehow managed to piss him off again. To make things worse that day she had managed to insult her cousin; one of the kindest beings in the universe.

"_We are not in your apartment Kara Zor-El. We are on the surface of Earth's sun," _H'el said to her motioning the giant ball of fire.

"_Liar! I told you to get out!"_ she launched at him fists first. He didn't move an inch when she hit him and she fell back, _"I can't feel my hands! What are you?" _she hadn't felt so much pain since she sprained her ankle while running through the sands of Galanni.

"_My journey has affected my body in strange ways, but be assured I am, despite my appearance, another member of the House of El. A Kryptonian. An honorary member, not one of honorable blood such as yours." _He said with a light bow.

"_What are you talking about?"_ she said flying backward.

"_I was sent on to a mission a long time ago by Jor El. He was my teacher, a father in some ways. He entrusted me with an unique mission and turned me into the last explorer of Krypton. I was sent off shortly before the destruction of our world. I became a wanderer and this body is the witness to the many trials I endured. Not long ago, I heard about two powerful beings which carried the crest of the House of El. So, here I am to reunite with my brethren," _the man that claimed he was of the House of El. But, she would have recalled someone outside of their blood ties being given such an honor.

"_Why should I believe you? You took me away from my home against my will,"_ she said starting to fly back home.

"_Only to show you that I am like you; the sun is the source of our power. I understand that you have doubts, but I promise you that I will do my best to prove myself to you," _he said flying after her.

"_Why would you do that? You want me to treat you like someone from the House of El? Why have I never heard of you before?" _

"_It's complicated, but Lady Kara you must believe me. I need your help,"_ he said giving her a pleading look.

"_For what exactly?" _she asked holding her head high, just as her mother had taught her when being addressed by someone that wasn't of their House or from an even more senior House. She had hated it back then, but she couldn't see another way to behave around him.

"_To return to Krypton before it was destroyed and save it,"_ he told her.

"_You-you are crazy,"_ she all but spat though she knew time travel was possible, but as Kal El had explained to her, it came with significant risks.

"_No, lady Kara. This life on Earth is,"_ H'El told her with a frown and a moment later they appeared in a battlefield.

"_Where are we?"_ how had he brought them there? All around there were screams of fury and death. Bullets crossed the sky with no real aim anymore. She prepared herself to fight in case they decided to point those guns at her.

"_Don't fret as they can't see us. Their weapons, as you know, are useless against us. I understand why your father and Jor El sent you and your cousin to this world. Their yellow sun keeps you safe and you return the favor as their saviors, but look at this. This is real madness for do you really think these creatures deserve you?"_ H'el said as he motioned to the carnage around them.

She knew what war looked like. Still, her eyes were drawn to a young boy hiding behind a broken wall in the middle of the battlefield. His eyes were full of tears as he tried to make himself small as much as possible.

"_They use their knowledge to service only a few and kill each other instead of looking after those who shape the future. What is worthy of them that deserves to be protected? This is no place to call home, not to you or any sane being. It's what Krypton always made sure to evade," _how many times had she heard this in her lectures back home? It had never really made sense until she came to Earth. Why would anyone seek violence over actual solutions?

The top of the wall where the child was hiding collapsed and started to fall towards the child. In a moment, she was there and covering him from the rubble and the bullets. It was nothing to her, but it would have meant his death. She took him in her arms, wrapped him in her cape and flew him out of the line of fire. She placed him in the center of a small town nearby where people approached him immediately to check he was okay. They still couldn't see her, but thanked some deity for her work.

"_You might have saved one life today, but what about the countless lost in just one day to famine, and war. This is life on Earth; a sad spectacle of death," _H'el said looking towards the still ongoing battle.

"_I…" _she knew he was right, but as Kal had said, they couldn't be everywhere at once. Still, if they stopped one battle, somewhere another one always started.

"_I am offering you a chance to return home Kara,"_ he told her, and how she wished it was possible.

"_How can I-,"_ she asked.

"_Believe me? Trust me? You are smart as part of your heritage, so I knew you would need proof of my sincerity. So, proof I will give you."_

The world had gone white before they appeared in her apartment. In the middle of the half-empty living room was Kon floating in the air. His face had bruises over bruises and parts of his suit were torn. His skin looked red and painful as if he had been burned to the point where even their healing capabilities had difficulty curing him. He was unconscious, but his expression told her he was in a lot of pain.

"_Kon!"_

"_Appropriate name my lady, he was much difficult to contain than the clones created in our world," _he beat Kon? It made sense, yet it didn't. He didn't have the same level of strength as her or Kal El, but he was by no means an easy target.

"_You brought him here?" _she asked with a frown. She knew this wasn't the time but her stomach felt heavy at having Kon in her apartment, her sanctuary.

"_Do not worry for he is not a threat at the time. However, you know he can be for anything living. As a clone, his true nature is to hate everything that is unlike him. For such reason, he must be terminated," _H'El said placing a hand on Kon's throat and squeezing. At once Kon gasped in pain though still unconscious.

"_Let him go!" _she said taking hold of his hand and trying to pull him back.

"_You know he is a threat even though Kal El and this world think otherwise. It was only a matter of time back then as it is now. Here is the proof of my sincerity lady Kara. Just tell me to do it, and I will eradicate the abomination of the House of El,"_ all of her reasoning told her he was right. The clones had always been submissive and obedient until one day something changed on them. What if the same thing happened with Kon?

"_I-I…"_ she released his wrist and looked at Kon, who was gasping for air.

"_Don't let his appearance trick you lady Kara, nor Kal El's trust on him. You know your cousin does not fully understand the destructive potential of this Kon. The same was for the Kon of our home world, remember?"_ but Kon choose that name to remind him of the threat he could be, to keep himself in check. He was not ignorant of his nature and didn't allow it to stop him from trying to live a fulfilling life.

"Where… where am I?"Kon opened his eyes groggily.

"_Fast my lady; you know what the right thing to do is,"_ H'El said preparing his other fist to hit Kon.

"_Ka-Kara?"_ Kon said when he saw her and relaxed slightly. He had no idea in what position he was, but he knew her. Even though they had their differences, he trusted her.

"_Don't do it," _she said and then added when H'El frowned,_"not yet."_

"_Not yet? As you say, I will do my lady. I will just make sure he is no threat for now. But why did you hesitate?"_ he said releasing Kon's throat. She too now could breathe easier.

"_Because you are also here for Kal El; he has attached himself to the clone. Let us talk to him first and make the decision together,"_ she said trying to sound as reasonable as possible, all to buy them some time. He was too strong for her to take on her own and with Kon hurt; she could only hope Kal could.

"_Kal El won't help us I am afraid. I have seen how fond he has grown not just of the clone but also this strange world. He has forgotten who he really is thanks to the corruption of this world. He has forgotten his Kryptonian heritage,"_ H'El said with a scowl.

"_You can't give up on him," _she told him. After all, Kal El was the rightful heir to the House of El.

"_Of course not, but it will be hard to persuade him since he did not receive the proper Kryptonian upbringing," _H'El said with an apprehensive look at Kon. It had been a taboo back in their world to treat a clone in any other way than a servant. Kal El lived with the clone, was his friend and mentor.

"_Then let me talk to him first. He trusts me. I think I can help him understand,"_ if this man really knew a way to restore Krypton, she didn't want to miss her chance by having him kill Kon.

"_Will do as you say, my lady. Tell him of what is possible and that there is still hope to be reunited with his family,"_ he said. Then, she appeared somewhere else she didn't know.

She stood frozen in front of a door in an empty hall. A nearby window told her it was close to night time. Where had the rest of her day gone to? She looked at the door in front of her and heard voices. At once she recognized Kal El's but the other it took her a moment. It was the woman who had spent the Giving holiday with them. It sounded like they were arguing, but she couldn't place the reason. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

"Kara!" Kal El said almost jumping out of his skin.

"Oh God, they even follow you around!" Lois Lane said throwing her hands in the air.

"I need to talk to you," she said before pressing her lips tightly together. She had wondered for a while if it was possible for her cousin to get upset, now she knew he could. He glared at her before taking a deep breath. Okay, he could for about ten seconds.

"I bet she does," Lois said rolling her eyes. In doing so, igniting the proverbial match that was Kal El's temper, "go Smallville, don't want to keep the chick in a leotard waiting."

"Is not like that," Kal El said before he glared at the woman. "And I will be back, we are not done talking."

"Oh look at that, you can actually grow a spine," Lois said checking her nails.

"Yeah, because standing up to idiots like Morgan Edge to stuff it didn't prove it, but what about yours Lois? I haven't seen you stand up for anything for a long time," Kal said crossing his arms.

"I didn't know farm boys could be so full of themselves. Please, spare one of your speeches about real journalism, I have heard them all before," she said turning away from him.

"But did you really understand anything at all standing side by side with Carroll. You only picked to stay with him because you saw that picture of Superman and Wonder Woman kissing. You settled for less, admit it," he said and Kara swore she would never make her cousin upset. He could be as mean as it could get.

"Shut up," Lois said throwing him a dirty glare.

"Why Lois? Did I hit a nerve?" he said looking down at her.

"Go before I kick you to kingdom come," she said before she started pushing him out.

"I will be back," he said walking.

"And you won't find me here. I am going to dinner with my boyfriend, remember? The one I live with?" Lois said before slamming the door behind him.

"_This is really important,"_ she said finally finding the courage to speak.

"_Have you seen Conner? His friend Lori said he didn't show up to school,"_ he asked as he walked down the hall. Kara followed after him.

"_It involves him,"_ she said biting her lip.

"_Please don't tell me you two got into a fight. I just asked him to ask you if you would like to move in with us," _Kal seemed to be near his breaking point.

"_I know where he is, but I need your help freeing him,"_ she said hoping that would snap him from whatever emotional turmoil he was in.

"_What? Kara, what happened?"_ he asked wide eyed.

"_A Kryptonian showed up,"_ she told him.

"_Where have I heard that before?"_ he said with an eye roll. More than once beings had showed up claiming to be Kryptonian to take advantage of him._ "Look, let's go talk somewhere else,"_ he said before she nodded.

A few moments later he was changed into his uniform and they were flying over a park.

"_Okay, so he claims my father sent him into outer space. I hope you don't believe his story Kara. You know better than me that Krypton had firmly forbidden any type of space exploration. Even my father wouldn't have broken that law,"_ Superman said looking more worried and skeptical as well as she told him of what H'El told her_. "Also, has he bothered to explain to you how he plans to restore Krypton?"_

"_No, but what if there is a chance," _she had told him of all the abilities H'El had, maybe he did know of a way.

"_I don't believe him, Kara. But I know we must save Kon, or he will kill him,"_ Superman said with a frown.

"_Is he more important than the chance to save our world?"_ she asked him feeling her gut clench.

"_What? That's an unfair question! Kara, you have to learn that there is a difference between hope and false hope. That's what he is feeding you, and in your heart you know that is true,"_ he told her taking hold of her shoulders. _"I know you are hurting, and he is only taking advantage of that."_

"_How would you know if you haven't even met him!" _she said pushing him back.

"_Then, let us resolve that. Though you have been granted great power my power, it is my devotion to Krypton that can make things right once again. I can return Krypton to its rightful place as the shining jewel of the cosmos,"_ H'El said appearing before them.

"_You must be H'El,"_ Kal El didn't hide his disdain for him. He placed himself in front of Kara as if to protect her from his influence.

"_Kal El, you resemble your father greatly in appearance. Is like seeing my mentor, the one that took me in, gave me purpose, and treated me as a son, again. Seeing you now is like meeting my younger brother,"_ H'El appeared in front of Kal El the next moment and embraced him. Kal El at once pulled back.

"_Before you go into the whole story of how you were missing in space all this time, let me tell you Kara has told me all about it. Now, I want you to return Kon to me and then leave our world,"_ Kal El said firmly with his chin high.

"_You don't believe me,"_ H'El said with a frown.

"_Not for a moment, now return Kon,"_ of course he would demand Kon instead of the way to restore their home world, Kara thought with a frown.

"_But Kal El!"_ if there were just one chance, they should take it.

"_He is trying to use us, Kara, nothing more," _he said not looking away from H'El.

"_I was an idiot to expect you to understand. You have never had any real connection to Krypton. Why would I think that would change now?"_ she said turning her head to the side as to not see his hurt expression.

"_That is not fair Kara," _but his tone said it all. She bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She just wanted to go back home.

"_Your cousin has a point lady Kara. Why should he believe me without proof? Giving names is not enough so I will show you of my knowledge of Krypton,"_ the next instant Kon appeared in his hold. His body looked in even more pain and she wondered how many times H'El had to subdue him.

"Superboy!" Kal El said closing his eyes. The sight was more painful to him than her.

"He is still alive," she said not able to look away. A line of blood ran from his forehead.

"Barely!" Kal El shouted before moving forwards. He then said to H'El "_let the boy go!"_

"_This is not a boy Kal El. __**IT**__is a clone like those that nearly destroyed our planet with their bare hands and naked rage so many years ago. That is why to prove my intentions are noble I going to snap his neck," _H'El said raising the hand that held Kon higher as if to make a show out of it.

The next moment Kal El had sent him crashing into the park below. She heard the shouts of people as they ran away from the place.

"Would Kryptonians really be as cruel as to kill a defenseless boy?" Kal El said holding Kon's unconscious and hurt body.

"They wouldn't see him as a boy," and they wouldn't think him defenseless, she thought. Even though Kon was not fully Kal El's clone, she could see the close resemblance between them. That always hurt.

He didn't say more and handed him to her, "protect him."

"But-" even now her arms were shaking as she held the clone. Memories of her childhood running, hiding from those things flooded her mind.

"_Kal El!"_ they heard H'El shout.

"Protect him no matter what," Kal El told her before colliding with H'El.

She watched her cousin land a punch on H'El, which sent shock waves through the air pushing her and her charge back.

"_How dare you raise your hand to me, you presumptions little child!?"_ H'El said returning the punch with the same strength if not more. But Kal El's cheek barely budged as he glared at H'El.

"_Because H'El, you have done what only a few have accomplished. You made me mad!"_ his eyes turned red and he tried to burn her. He managed to land a direct hit on his chest. H'El touched his chest where the skin had been broken and looked at his own black tar blood.

"_Uncultured ingrate! You do care more about these insects than your own people!"_ H'El shouted before he took of Kal by his cape and threw him in a parking lot.

"_I would watch what you say H'El,"_ Kal said getting up from the crater he created. He then said with a smirk _"I am the true son or Jor El and don't ever forget that!"_ he launched at H'El.

"_Just because you beat the dragon I sent you think you can beat me? You are nothing but a fool. It is time a faithful member of the House of El takes charge!"_ H'El said creating a barrier around him the next instant which ricocheted Kal El. He crashed into a car, which exploded then creating a chain reaction. Next thing she saw was all the cars in the lot explode as well wrapping the two men in a storm of fire.

"_Kal_?!" She placed Kon down and flew towards them.

"ARRRRGH!" Kal El flew out of the ball of fire.

"Kal E-ck!" the next thing she knew he had his hand around her throat.

"This is all your fault Kara! All of it!" he sneered on her face.

"What are you—" she said trying to remove his hand.

"Shut up and listen to me, you spoiled brat! Why did you leave Kon?! Why couldn't just you listen just for once without doubting me?! Why do you insist on making my life so difficult?!" he shook her in the air.

"Kal…" she saw only rage in his eyes.

"I am tired of your old Kryptonian nonsense. I am sick of having to explain the same thing to you again and again because you are too damn stubborn to accept it," his anger was replaced by disgust and disappointment.

"Kak!" she tried to form the words to apologize or reason with him. She couldn't decide which because it was heartbroking to see him like this.

"I will say it once more in a way even you will understand; Krypton is gone!"

She felt tears running down her face as she started to lose consciousness.

"Kara… that's not…" she heard Kon's voice before all went dark.


	28. Chapter 28

Becoming Superboy 28

More than half of the world placed him on a pedestal. They believed he had no fault. No, weakness. No, anger. They were wrong. He knew he was to act the part of Superman sometimes while under his skin he was itching to set loose and just hit the monsters with all his strength. At that point after exchanging blows with the narcissist H'El, he wasn't sure he could keep himself in check. He reminded him of all that he did not like about Krypton, of the outcast he would be if the planet were still around.

"Kara," he saw Kon struggling just to get up and reach Supergirl.

"_You manipulative monster, I thought you served the House of El_," he said as H'El used Kara's cape to hang her from a pole.

"_But I do Kal El, this serves a superior purpose than of us alone could accomplish. I need Kara, but you… well," _the next moment his face was buried in a mountain of pavement. His brain rattled inside his skull as H'El pulled him out by the front of his uniform. His voice was like venomous hiss "_I have been observing you since I arrived here 'Superman.' I am revolted by the spectacles and the slave title. The way you traded your heritage in exchange for the worship and distress of the beasts who pervade this world."_

If he weren't sure it would get him killed, he would have already spat on H'El's face. He couldn't expect this monster to truly understand the purpose that the planet had given him. Of the magnificent things, they were able to accomplish even among all that was rotten.

"_Thank me once you get to the shores of Perpetual Joy, Kal El. Thank me for putting you out of the wretchedness that is your existence," _dammit. He had to move but it was as if something was keeping his body still, a force he couldn't touch but sense.

"Hey!" H'El dropped him, but the sensation of being held was still there. He looked up and saw Superboy trying to subdue H'El, though with little success_ "You are all kinds of fucked up!"_

"Let go of him Superboy!" it was a losing battle for the kid. He had an arm wrapped around H'El neck while the other was bending the right arm while his knees were buried on H'El's back. It was one of Superboy's favorite moves for it was one of the few that could actually drive him to his knees.

"No, way!" Kon's eyes turned red as his body started to shine with red outpours of energy. For a moment, H'El looked worried before he started fighting back with what he guessed was similar abilities. "This guy owes me too many!" the red burst of energy wrapped around H'El's before one of his knees bent.

"_That was unwise, Kon El," _H'El said through greeted teeth before his black tar eyes started shining. With one swift movement of his arm, he sent Kon crashing into the street head first. _"When you touched me, you grasped out with your T.K., to try to study me, But in that that instant I also learned about you. Right down to your chromosomal core," _he watched as H'El made Kon's body float into the air. Kon was gasping for air as he struggled to free himself. _"You are much more than simply a clone. Worse, you are a crossbreed. You are more than one race spliced together. I am going to fix that!"_

"IIIIEEEE!" Kon started screaming, "AARRRGH!"

"Let him go!" he shouted at H'El. If he could break his concentration, Superboy could-

"_Here is your toy Kal El,"_ he threw Superboy's unconscious body at him, _"that's all that he is. He is not really alive, has never been. Your encouragement to him and his actions are nothing but a mockery of real life. It's all fake down to every expression he has shown you, an insult to life."_

"_Stay… stay away from him!" _Kon_, _he wasn't moving. He listened for his heartbeat. It was weak, but it was still there, _"He is under my protection!"_ He hoped old Kryptonian rules would help. As the head of the House of El, he could take others in. Not that H'El had much respect for him, but he was too hurt to try anything else.

"_The proud last son of Krypton and the House of El placing protection over a clone? How shameful." _He felt that force wrap him and Kon again before they were slammed against the wall of a building. H'El flew to be in front of them. He held Kon's body tighter. He wouldn't let him hurt him anymore. "_Realize Kal El that each breath you take, each day you have left in this world is a gift from me to the memory Jor El. But do not push me. My patience has a limit."_

"_I won't let you get away with this H'El," _that was a promise.

"_You and your wants and your dreams are of no consequence to anyone. You are nothing to me 'Superman.' No, you are less than nothing." _H'El said though his glare was centered on Kon, not him. He turned in the air then and went to get Kara where he left her hanging.

The moment they were gone, he could move again. He fell to the ground, twisting to fall on his back as to not hurt Superboy further. His face looked pale, almost dead. What had he done to Kon? He got up, felt his fractured bones start healing. Kon's body wasn't doing anything, barely breathing, barely beating but for how long. He took into the air. He had to fix, no, he had to heal him. He was not a thing. He was not just a clone. He was not just some weapon created to kill him. He was a boy. He was his family. They picked their own destinies. They choose to be different. They chose not to be puppets. He wasn't going to let it end here.

His vitals were getting weaker by the second. Kon told him not to apologize anymore, but he wanted to apologize to him again for not being there for him the first months of his existence. There were many things he wanted to tell him but never did because he never thought of losing him, his little brother. He wanted to tell the kid that the arrogance and recklessness he claimed were Luthor's were also his, so he didn't need to feel guilty about that anymore. He wanted to tell him that yes, he had been a little afraid of him at first, but not because of the reason he was created. He had been afraid to mess up. He wasn't his parents who had been so patient with him. When he saw him the first time, it was like going back in time to those days he only had to worry about keeping his powers hidden, and how he would ask Lana out.

He made it to the fortress and sped through the halls to the medical room. Though rarely used, he always made sure it wasn't forgotten.

"If you can hear me, I need you to stay still. I am going to help you," he placed Kon on the probing table. At once it got working before displaying a 3D imagery of Kon's body. Besides the trauma his body had gone through, something was happening at a genetic level. He blamed himself for not looking further into how he was made. To hell with his discomfort; he used his microscopic vision to its limits. What he saw disturbed him. He had expected the two strands of the DNA belonging to him and Luthor, but instead he found three. That was impossible or was this H'El's doing? No, there was a main strand and the other two complemented it as if balancing its existence but now they were becoming undone. That was H'El's doing.

He thought of Kara and what H'El would do to her if she went against him. She was in a lot more danger than he initially thought. If torture didn't work, he was sure H'El would make use of his gift for lying and deceiving.

"_Kon El's condition is deteriorating steadily. Human and Kryptonian DNA has been identified and analyzed. The third strand does not fall into any classification,"_ he listened to the computer say, but no answer as to how to stop it.

A third strand, not human or Kryptonian. This was his fault. If he hadn't been so objective about having to become family to the boy, he would have realized this sooner. Because he didn't know this third strand, he didn't know how to help him.

"_Genetic Meltdown estimated time ten minutes,"_ the computer announced. He heard Krypto and Wolf whine from the entrance. Neither one wanted to go inside. He couldn't start panicking; he had to think of something. _"Possible solution; create a stable environment for the three strands of DNA to knit back together."_

"Like a cast of a broken arm," but how does one target and contain DNA. The other two were linked to it, so… he left the room and returned a few moments later with a small chest. He never thought he would have to make use of this. Hell, he had been worried about using it himself, but they didn't have any choice at that time. He opened the chest and inside were the crest of his family. It looked modest, but he knew some of the secrets it hid and the rest still baffled him.

"I am not sure this is going to work Kon, but know that his would have eventually become yours. This is my Kryptonian battle armor. It responds to my DNA, yours too. It protects beyond what a regular armor does so it might be able to save you." His uniform was modeled after it. He didn't feel people would be comfortable with him flying around in armor.

He placed the crest over the one of his black and red suit. It had attached itself immediately before it started spreading out with the familiar tones of blue, but it was no longer Earthling material.

The wonder stopped the moment Superboy opened his eyes.

8888

"AAAAAGH!" he screamed. He trashed where he lay trying to fight the pain that was covering his body and invading every molecule of his being. He saw a glance of Superman; he was doing this to him. Fear wrapped around his mind. He wanted him gone. He had to escape. He tried to bolt away but then Superman was holding him down, "what are you doing!"

"You are going to be fine! Just try to stay still," Superman said struggling to actually keep him on the table.

"Are you crazy!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. It felt horrible as if someone had poured acid on his senses and set fire to his guts.

"It's the only way," Superman said looking even more worried for him, well that was a first. "What H'El did to you could have killed you."

"What a hell are you talking about!" but the pain was starting to subside though he still felt as if something was missing.

"I will explain everything you can't remember, but you have to calm down first, Kon," Superman told him letting go of him.

He relaxed as much as he could on the cold table, which wasn't mush. His senses were flooded with sounds, scents. It had never taken him this much effort to control them.

"Your genetic core is starting to heal. It's likely what H'El did to you isn't permanent, but you have to make sure you don't remove the armor until we are certain you are okay. How is your temper fairing?" he asked giving him a scrutinizing stare.

"Excuse me?" okay, so he had messed up, but that was uncalled for. The guy **barely** talked to him.

"The armor is prioritizing your Kryptonian DNA, bot ignoring your human DNA. By prioritizing the Kryptonian end so some of your Kryptonian abilities are heightened," Superman said as he kept going over the information the computer was giving him.

"My human DNA?" how could he have known?

"I was worried it would affect you similarly to the Shields, but since it's also healing your human side it looks like the main effect is disorientation," Superman said with a sigh of relief.

"You know about the Shields, but how?" and how come he wasn't angry? He sat up but felt dizzy right away.

"Lay down, Kon. I will need you at your best to fight H'El," he told him pushing him to lie down again.

"I don't understand anything," he said shaking his head.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Superman asked him, "I will try to explain as much as possible."

He couldn't help looking away from him "Dhabar."

"What about Dhabar?" Superman asked him.

"Oh c'mon! Are you really going to make me tell you? You were there!" he snapped at him sitting up. He slapped his hand away when he tried to make him lie down again.

"I… Kon…" Superman looked shocked.

"It's Conner if you are going to call me by my civilian name at least use the right one," he said crossing his arms before he noticed what he was wearing. This was the thing that made his skin feel like it wasn't his.

"Kon is not your civilian name; it's your Kryptonian name," Superman said with a scowl.

"What?" he asked looked straight at the man. He heard his heart, he was telling the truth. But, he didn't remember receiving a Kryptonian name. Had he given him one without his knowing?

"And the last time we were in Dhabar… that was years ago… when you were using the Shields…" the rest went unsaid. Realization had dawned on his features before he stared at him. It made him uncomfortable as if he was looking at a complete stranger.

"Wait a minute; are you saying I lost my memories?" he asked feeling his blood drain from his face.

"H'El must have known the armor would help you. He is trying to set us back even further. Remembering Dhabar isn't a mere coincidence. He wants us set against one another," Superman said looking warier.

"Who? What are you-" he was ready to bolt away and find his friends. Maybe they could explain what was really going on.

"Conner, you need to stay calm. We are going to figure this out together," he stopped him again, "I know your memories of me are not good right now, but believe me; things have changed. I will help you get your memories back, but we need to save Supergirl first, she is my cousin, and defeat the guy who did this to you."

"Your cousin?" there was more Kryptonians?

"Supergirl, long story short arrived a few years ago and would do anything to restore Krypton. If H'El, who claims to be Kryptonian, can really do it, it won't be without consequences," Superman said going back to the computer. From what he could understand he was programming the computer to check for any anomalies in the planet.

"And your cousin would help him?" he asked standing on shaky feet before joining him.

"He is a deceiver, Conner. And, when someone misses their home as much as Kara they are easy to trick," Superman said as he kept looking for signs of them.

"I guess," he guessed he would do the same in her place, but still, to put others in danger. It felt senseless.

Superman turned to face him. "We promised a long time ago not to hide anything from one another, not since the situation with the Shields. You and Kara don't get along that entirely well. I know you two try but there is still a lot to work on. Krypton had a history with clones; a difficult one which Kara lived. No matter what she or H'El say, don't let them get to you. You are more than just a clone."

"I am your clone," he said with a frown. Though the words were meant to comfort, it actually made him uncomfortable. The guy was actually okay with him, when did that happen? It was odd.

"Well yes. Don't you dare make fun of me when you get your memories back, but you are also Conner Kent; aspiring reporter, Kon of the House of El, and Superboy; a hero in his own right," Superman said scratching the back of his head. It seemed the guy had trouble opening up. Now he knew who he got that from.

"I don't need my memories to start making fun of you now," it was so corny.

"That can wait, now let's track H'El down," Superman said turning back to the computer.

He heard a whine and turned around to find Wolf alongside a large white dog.

"Wolf!" the mutt jumped on him before being joined by the dog.

"You two go play somewhere else," Superman told Wolf and the dog before they left. Wolf ran and the dog flew.

"What was that?" a flying dog, and he noticed he was wearing the S too.

"My dog," Superman said with a small smirk, "don't think much about it. You will get all of your memories back."

"And what if I don't?" just thinking about it made him want to escape that place, wherever they were.

"That won't happen," Superman said waving him off, concentrating instead on finding their targets.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked as his chest felt tight. He wanted to take the damn suit off, but he bet it was as painful as putting it on.

"I just know. You are not the kind to give up," he said giving him a fixed stare. Was he just as stubborn?

He felt exhausted and went to sit on the cold table. He wanted to understand what was going on. It was just wrong that he finally got along with Superman, but he couldn't remember how it happened.

"How many years?" he asked after a minute of consideration.

"Conner…" Superman said with a pained stare.

"I need to know," he needed some control over this whole thing.

"Since Dhabar, seven years a few months; today is the ninth of February of 2018," Superman said in a deadpan.

He was speechless. He was missing seven years.

"Ko… Kon," Superman said placing a hand on his shoulder, "you can trust me. When I said you will get your memories back, it means you will."

How could he be so sure?

"The real world doesn't work that way," he remembered Luthor's words after he found Match. "Things are not cut so clean. The world isn't black and white."

"Of course it isn't that simple," Superman said with a raised eyebrow, "but because it isn't that simple, it also means that the possibilities are infinite. Someway, somehow out there is a way to restore your memories, and we will find it."

He was about to refuse again, but then a voice rang through the strange room in a language he didn't recognize. Superman responded in the same language before the screen he had been using before was taken over the image of a man with a domino mask he didn't recognize.

"Superman, Superboy, report. Why haven't you two answered your communicators?"

"They were damaged during the fight, Nightwing," Superman said giving him a brief glance.

"What was that thing that attacked you? We sent part of the team to help with the wreckage, but they say its' too extensive," the Nightwing said with a frown before looking directly at him, he knew this guy "and why are you wearing that?"

"It's a long story," Superman answered for him, to which the other man frowned even further. "The important thing is that you tell the League to not confront him. His name is H'El and he claims to be from Krypton," he said as he started sending them the information he gathered.

"Meaning he has the same powers as you," Nightwing said before showing them the satellite pictures they had captured of H'El. Superboy felt a shudder run through his body when he saw the scarred body, and black tar eyes. But more importantly the man was hurting him and he seemed to enjoy it.

"I believe he also has powers like Kon's," Superman said keeping a straight face. He did his best to do the same, but he was dying to ask what powers he was talking about.

"We can send Shazam and Martian Manh-" Nightwing started to say.

"No," Superman said with a set jaw, "we will deal with him. He claims to be a member of our family. He is our responsibility."

"Not when countless lives might be at risk Superman," Nightwing, who was clearly younger, crossed his arms.

"Nightwing, don't send anyone after him if you find him. They won't stand a chance. We barely made it and he has Kara," Superman said somehow able to look taller.

"Kon, is that right?" Nightwing asked him, now looking at the armor he was wearing with new understanding.

"He can cause damage to a molecular level. It's too risky," he said placing a hand over the shield.

"I see," he said with a scowl, "Watchtower will also look for them, and inform you if we find anything."

"Thank you Nightwing," Superman said releasing a breath he had been holding.

"I trust you will also keep the Titans away from this," Nightwing said to him.

He knew it was their fight alone, so he nodded.

The man gave them a curt nod, "Nightwing out," and the screen returned to its original display.

"Why did we lie?" it felt wrong to lie but guessed Superman wouldn't ask him to do it without a good reason.

"Like you said, the world isn't black and white. If others learn, even if they are your friends, they may try to make you changes in the life that you lead now. They would have an advantage over you that when you regained your memories might make you break bonds with them," Superman said actually looking tired.

"But you wouldn't?" he asked.

"I know you enough to trust your judgment," Superman said, "and respect your decisions."

"Oh," this was a dream, right?

"I think it will be better if I take you back to the apartment. We had a plan in case something like this happened," Superman said walking towards the exit.

"You are not serious," he said floating after him. He realized it and froze in the air for a moment.

"It was your idea after your third encounter with Psimon," Superman said not one bit surprised.

Okay, that made sense. He thought as he followed after him.

"C'mon, we will take a Zeta beam to metropolis."

The trip was thankful to the Zeta Beam uneventful. But, entering the Watchtower was something else.

"Superboy!" a green kid with a monkey's tale ran to him.

"Beast Boy," Superman whispered.

"Wow, you guys actually look tired. Is that guy really big trouble?" Beast Boy said looking at him very concerned, "cool uniform by the way."

"That's enough Gart," Kaldur said walking up to them before handing them new communicators, "we appreciate your assistance with this situation Superboy, the whole League does."

What did he mean by that? His friend still seemed to be his friend but not as close as they used to be. When the rest couldn't take something seriously, he was always sure he could count Kaldur to see reason.

"We need to get to Metropolis," Superman told Kaldur.

"It will take a minute. We are moving others into Metropolis to help with the wreckage and keeping the Titans unaware of the situation." The last part he said directly to him, "you haven't had any contact with them, right?"

"None," he had no idea who they were.

"Not that many of us would be of help against someone with both of your powers," Kaldur said with a frown.

"We will defeat him," Superman said with the stubbornness which was starting to feel more familiar.

"Your Zeta Beam will be ready in a moment, c'mon Gart," Kaldur beginning to walk away.

"I will be there in a sec," Beast Boy said to which Kaldur actually sighed but left nonetheless. He looked tentatively at Superman, who turned around and went to wait by the Zeta Beam, not that he couldn't hear everything that was being said.

"What is it?" he asked the fifteen-year-old.

"Can I join the Titans?" he asked in a rush.

"The Titans," what the hell were the Titans? He sincerely wanted to ask.

"I know you don't want to make my big sister angry. No one would ever wish to make a Martian angry," this kid was related to M'gann? "But I really want to join you guys. I am tired of being locked here. It would be so cool to live in San Francisco and spend time again with Blue Beetle, Kid Flash, and Red Robin. I hate being the youngest around."

"Beast Boy…" what was he supposed to tell the kid? He apparently looked up to him but to him he was a complete stranger.

"The Zeta Beam is ready," Superman called to him.

"I know you need to talk it with Red Robin. But you know I would make a great addition to your team," Beast Boy said with a confident smile before shifting into a cheetah and then running off. Beast Boy was a fitting name.

They stepped into the Zeta Beam before flying straight to an apartment in the middle of the city. He remembered the last time he was in Metropolis, Superman had scolded him for jumping on the bridge.

"Here it is," Superman said bringing out a black sphere from where he guessed was his bedroom, "it was a gift to you by the people of New Genesis. It's made out of Promethium and only responds to you."

He held it for a moment and then it opened to reveal a simple flash drive.

"I will go back to the Fortress. My phone is on the speed dial number one if anything happens. Don't use the communicator if you have questions. If Kid Flash, Blue Beetle or Red Robin stop by tell them what is going on. I don't think there is anything wrong with that, but make sure they don't try to fight H'El."

"Alright," he said, "but what did Kaldur mean by-"

"You better hear it from yourself. You actually updated the memory no long after things changed," Superman said before flying away.

He went to the computer in the living room and connected the flash drive. It was full of recordings, all of them dated. He decided to do the best thing and start with the first one.

"_Today is March 25__th__, of the year 2011. My name is Conner Kent, also known as Superboy, also known as Project Kr. If you are watching this, you might not remember any of this. You are the partial clone of Superman created by the organization known as CADMUS. The rest of your DNA comes from Lex Luthor, but don't be tricked by him. He is not to be trusted. You were created to replace Superman or defeat him if he ever turns away from the light. But that's not going to happen. Since escaping CADMUS; Aqualad, Robin, and Kid Flash helped you find a new purpose. Joining them, alongside Miss Martian, Artemis, and Zatanna, you became part of the Team. You all go through constant training from the League and assist in reckon missions though more often than not they turn into brawls."_

"_You get along with all of your teammates, there are no rivalries. You are in a relationship with Miss Martian. You can trust Superman and everyone in the League. You have two pets; Sphere and Wolf. Your powers are Super-Strenght, and Super-senses. You live in Mount Justice and attend Happy Harbor High…_

He listened to himself spew fact after fact of things he already knew. He was ready to turn it off when it reached the part of the Shields. He was all ears after that. Apparently, after defeating The Light, he and Superman started spending more time together. They became close, like brothers through training and the Kryptonian coming of age ceremony. He listened to himself explain about enemies, new friends and allies, about where his social life was at the time. It was very through. Still, he knew he was still missing about five years. He wanted to fast forward but found he was unable to. What if he missed something important?

_Today is July 5__th__, of the year 2013. Today, you were informed that you don't physically age so don't be worried if the face in the mirror remains the same._

Something like that. It was the shortest of the videos and right after it, he rushed to the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. It was true. Though his hair was a little longer, his face remained the same. He hadn't thought about that with all that was going on. It wasn't a surprise Superman didn't want to be the one to tell him. If he were there, he would be shouting and even try to pick a fight with him for not telling him before. Not that there would ever be a good time to tell him. Though he was supposed to learn as much as possible, he needed a break.

He went to the apartment's living room. There were pictures of him and Superman in his civilian disguise. He found the big guy's bedroom; didn't go in, another bedroom which was completely empty and then he went to his own bedroom. He went inside temptingly and realized there were a lot of books. Every single title caught his attention and he knew why he picked them. He went to a small desk in the corner and saw the school books lying there. He wanted to be a journalist, which was a little harder to understand. He opened his closet and found some of the clothes he didn't like and a pair of dark framed glasses, just like the ones Superman wore with his civilian disguise. He put on some of those clothes over the armor and the glasses. There was a full body mirror inside the closet. He couldn't stare at his reflection for long. It bothered him to hide who he really was.

Still, he remained in the civilian clothing. He believed he might not get his memories back, so he might as well get used to the idea.

He went back to the computer and started reading over a document when something crashed into the living room. He turned around and found a kid standing there looking frazzled and worried.

"Suppey!" he shouted even though he was in his civilian disguise.

"Who are you?" he asked standing and stepping back.

"Not crash! I need your help! Grandpa has gone mad!" the boy shouted before ducking. Someone at super-speed just tried to tackle the kid, "get those things away from me!"

And then the kid was gone and so was the person chasing him. He picked the phone in the kitchen and dialed Superman's number.

"Is there a problem?" Superman answered on the other line.

"Two speedsters crashed into the apartment and then left," he made sure to stay alert in case they returned.

"One blond and the other auburn?" Superman said not one bit surprised. They had asked Flash to keep Kid Flash distracted.

"Yes," he said with a frown, "and the blond had two weird puppets." Though it had been only a fraction of a moment, there was no mistaking what he saw, "just how bizarre has my life become?"

"That's new even for me, but I will make sure to ask Flash about it," Superman said with a short laugh.

He went back to reading the journals he had written at some point and not blaming the kid for running away. Just remembering those puppets made him shudder.

After reading what he wrote about the Kryptonian Clone Rebellion, he started another recording. His appearance bothered him. There was a gauze on his forehead and he was apparently trying to conceal his anger. However, his words betrayed him.

"_October 18, 2013. This day you met Kara Sor-El, Kal El's cousin on the side of his father; also known as Supergirl. She does not like you. She tried to lobotomize you. However, she is also a member of the House of El. Superman has asked you both to try to get along. Neither of you wants it, but it's either that or the two of you will end up killing each other. Kara is blond with blue eyes. She is short tempered and a snob. She considers Earth to be primitive. She currently lives with Kal El's adoptive parents. It's not likely you will see her often, but if you do be wary of her."_

And that was who they were trying to save? He wished he could just say no, but she was still Superman's cousin.

The sun was starting to set by the time he got to sadder recordings. The second Robin died at hands of the Joker. The first Wonder Girl left them, deciding to fight on her own against Wonder Woman's wishes. New members entered the team and others moved on; Wally and Artemis among them. However, he explained the reason why Wally left. His body could barely stand the running anymore. Artemis left because she loved him.

"_March 2__nd__, 2014. Tula died to keep Tiamat dormant once again. Kaldur left the Team. Today we learned that he had joined his biological father; Black Manta."_

But he just saw Kaldur at the Watchtower and he seemed to be fine.

"_July 11__th__, 2014. Miss Martian is using her powers to force information out of villains' minds and leaves them comatose. When you found out, she tried to make you forget. You didn't let her and broke up with her hoping she would care enough to stop doing it. She didn't. Recently, she has become very close to Lagoon Boy. Keep an eye out for the kid, he might be annoying, but no one deserves to have their mind manipulated."_

"_September 16. 2014. Today you received an official invitation from the League to join them. You, Miss Martian, and Nightwing all declined. Nightwing did it because he is the current leader of the Team and feels responsible for letting Kaldur go. Miss Martian stayed because she wants to look after Beast Boy. You are staying to keep an eye on her and keep her from hurting others."_

"Conner! Are you in there!" someone started banging on the door. He stopped the recordings but stayed where he was. He didn't recognize that voice. "C'mon answer if you are in there! Why aren't you answering your cell? I am sorry if I made you upset last night!" The girl kept banging on his door. "Dammit, Conner! There was an attack downtown and I will die if I keep wondering if you were caught in the crossfire! You never miss class or miss an appointment! You are a good guy!" Was she crying? "You are my only friend!"

He opened the door just as the girl was about to bang on his door again.

"Conner!" she hugged him immediately, "thank goodness you are okay! Why wouldn't you say anything?" she looked up at him with teary eyes.

"I was sleeping," was the only thing he could think to say.

"Oh," she said looking embarrassed, "sorry, but I… Oh God, I feel like an idiot."

"I was there," which was sort of right from what he understood, "I didn't get hurt, but I thought staying home would be for the best."

"Really? What did you see? Some people say they saw Superboy, and Superman being beaten by some type of alien," her attitude did a 180 and she was almost on his face with wide eyes.

"That sounds about right," he said stepping back.

"As much as I dislike the guy, I hope he is okay," she said looking worried.

"Ehm…" who was this girl? She was like a storm of emotions.

"Oh sorry, would you like to work on the interview? To take your mind off things. I am sure the League and the Titans will be able to handle it," she said ready to step inside, but he stopped her.

"Not today," he told her with a frown, besides he had no idea what interview she was talking about.

"Okay, I guess I can send you what I found about them. See you tomorrow then" though she didn't look too happy about going but relieved that he was okay; as far as she knew. After closing the door, he leaned against it and slid down until he was sitting.

The communicator made a small ping. Please let it be Superman.

"Kon? How are you? I mean, I know that guy… well, anyways. We found your stuff in the rubble. It's not too damaged, but we thought you might want them back," it was M'gann. The hairs on the back of his head stood on their ends. What if she was the one responsible for what was happening to him?

"I can't go right now," he said trying to keep his voice steady.

"Actually, Guardian is driving your motorcycle to your place. He will be there in a few minutes. Don't worry; we got your new address from Superman," she said with a hint of concern in her voice.

"I see," he was still wary of her. According to his recordings they had been together a long time and she betrayed his trust when he did something she didn't like.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a whisper.

"What is it to you?" he couldn't help snapping.

"Sorry, I asked, anyways I just wanted to ask if Beast Boy had spoken to you or any of the rest about joining you," she said in a stern voice.

"Why?" he asked sitting on the living room couch.

"What do you mean by… He is like my brother Kon, why else?" she used a tone he had never heard her use. She was genuinely angry, and he could hear some resentment too.

"What if we accepted him? What would you do then?" was she still manipulating the minds of others?

"I… look; I didn't call you to start a fight. I am glad you are well enough to want to, but not today. Just consider if he is really ready. Bye." And just like that the conversation was over.

A few minutes after Guardian called, but it was not the same Guardian he knew. When he went to the building's parking lot, he met with no other than Mal. What was his high school classmate doing there?

"You seem to have seen better days," Mal said getting off a beautiful, though scratched, machine before handing him a rugged backpack.

"Thanks," he said wondering how the guy that could only talk about Superman could become a hero himself. He was admittedly strong, but he hadn't seen anything special about him back then.

"Was it that bad?" Mal asked as he pushed the motorcycle to a spot matching with his apartment number, "you never let anything happen to your bike."

"I don't know, things are sort of confusing," the guy seemed to be more down to Earth than before but still annoying.

"I bet," Mal said looking at him with a frown.

"What?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

"You seem different," Mal said, "are you okay?"

"I just told you I don't know," he snapped at Mal who looked taken back.

"I will take that as a no," he said with a curious look. "I haven't seen you act like this in a long time."

"Whatever," he said starting to walk towards the elevator.

However, he never made it there.

"Conner!" he heard Mal shout as he was taken underground, breaking barrier after barrier of concrete and pipes.

He heard the same language he had heard Superman speak beforehe saw a beautiful, angry face. It didn't take him long to realize who she was. The way she punched and shouted at him, at times sneering his name. "_Kon_!"

"Leave me alone!" he shouted before his eyes felt like coals.

"Ahhh!" she screamed covering her face as he burned her. He was glad it hurt.

He got off from under her and flew out the hole she tried to bury him in. He tore at the civilian clothes until the armor was the only thing left. He found Mal at the edge of the hole as he was calling the rest of the Team.

"Don't!" he shouted pushing him back, "she is too strong!"

He was flying away as fast as he could after that. Away from the building and anyone else she could hurt. He heard Supergirl scream his name "Kon!" with so much rage and hatred. As soon as he was out of the parking lot, he was flying high, as fast as he could.

"That's enough!" he heard Miss Martian shout before Supergirl screamed. He turned around and flew back to find Supergirl fighting someone he didn't know. Her upper body was humanoid with white skin, red hair, fanged teeth, and bright red eyes. The bottom was of a giant snake wrapped around Supergirl, "Superboy, this isn't the time to stare!"

It was M'gann's voice, but she didn't look like the M'gann he remembered. Her appearance shouted White Martian and he remembered the confession he recorded so long ago about all the secrets they had kept.

"C'mon Superboy!" she shouted again, "knock her out!"

"I think not Martian," next thing he saw was the man from the Watchtower's recordings, H'El. He appeared out of nowhere. With a single too fast to see movement of his hand, he hit Miss Martian. She lost her grip on Supergirl, who then punched her in the gut, sending her flying back uncontrollably until he caught her. She was gasping for air as she held her stomach with a grimace. "This is not your fight. Go back to your world to your loved ones while you still can."

"My loved ones are here, and you are threatening to hurt one of them for something that was not his fault," Miss Martian then glared at Supergirl. Kara was glaring at them with so much hatred he swore she would not hesitate to kill them. Something seemed strange about it. Miss Martian gave him a quick glance to tell him she saw it too. Her eyes shone red and he knew she was trying to get a reading on Kara. A moment later her eyes widened.

"That's enough," and H'El's eyes shone with dark light before M'gann started holding her head.

"He is doing something to her," M'gann said as she now glared at H'El, "his powers are like yours, but getting stronger. That's why we couldn't find you two. You went to the sun!"

"Your interference is not welcomed here," he said before Miss Martian's body became rigid. Her teeth clenched as she tried to open her mouth to say something. Why wasn't she mind linking instead? Then, she was able to move again.

"Hello there, I don't think we have given you the proper welcome to our little blue world," he saw then that Shazam had H'El in a choke hold.

"Shazam, thank you," Miss Martian gasped before extending her powers towards Supergirl, who was taken back by the sudden appearance. Supergirl's eyes closed and then she was falling. He caught her before she could get too far.

"No probs, now you guys might want to get back," Shazam said with the same old cocky smile.

"Why can't I-" H'El grasped at Shazam's arm, trying to pry it away.

"Oh brother," Shazam laughed, "you are messing with the wrong god-power wielding dude. I am magic, something you Kryptonians are not good against." His eyes started to turn white with power. They knew what was coming.

They did as told. They tried to get as far as possible before they heard a deafening sound. They didn't turn around knowing Shazam was bombarding H'El with thunder.

"We have to get her as far as possible from H'El. He is twisting her memories to make you seem like her mortal enemy, no different than the clones that rebelled in Krypton," she said as they flew as fast as they could.

"He is brainwashing her?" he asked looking at the unconscious girl in his arms. Her expression said she was in a bad dream.

"Yes," the way she said it spoke of regret. Something had happened; she was different. "I am shielding our mental waves so he can't find us. I could use some help. What happened to your powers? I can't sense your T.K."

"I… don't know," he was started to hate saying those words.

"I am so sorry Kon, I really mean it. You worked so hard to control them," though her appearance was very intimidating, he could tell she was honest.

"I lost my memories," he said it before he realized it.

"What?" she asked stopping in midair.

"H'El did something to my genetic core, that's why I have to wear this thing, or I will be falling to pieces. The armor is enhancing my Kryptonian abilities, but this T.K. you are talking about…" he had no idea what she meant by it.

"Explain in the way to the fortress," she said starting to fly again.

He told her all he remembered. Never once did she question him. She just listened. He didn't tell her of the recordings exactly, but he told her he had been learning more about what had been going on through some means. She looked slightly sad that the last thing he learned about her was of her betrayal. When she spoke, it was with calm and even tone. She had made a mistake which almost costed Kaldur his mind. He had forgiven her, but she had yet to forgive herself. Since then, she explained, they had remained friends… sort of. They tried, but it was only until a little over half a year ago when his new powers awakened that it felt real.

It was by no means perfect for his new powers made her nervous by nature. It was the same for him. They couldn't mind link because his powers would backslash at her. She explained who the Titans were. They all had been donning the uniforms for a few years.

"But I think you wouldn't have left the Team if you didn't think they were that good," she told him with a sharp toothed smile.

"I don't know any of them," how could he trust some kids?

"You will remember," she said with a smile.

"Superman keeps saying the same. Neither of you knows if that will happen," and the recordings wouldn't be enough.

"I forgot what a downer you used to be," she laughed "after all I have seen on Earth, there is very little I don't believe possible."

He knew of the things they had done thanks to the recordings, but it was entirely different to have experienced them.

"Miss Martian, Superboy; report" their communicators activated and Robin, no Nightwing called to them.

"We are taking Supergirl to the Fortress. He was manipulating her. Shazam is fighting H'El," Miss Martian informed.

"Shazam was defeated," Nightwing reported, "Wonder Girl and Lagoon Boy just picked him up with the Bioship. He was badly hurt."

"That's can't be," Shazam was magic. He should have had the advantage in that fight.

Supergirl stirred on his arms.

"You have to take her and get as far as you can," Miss Martian stopped in midair.

"Superboy, you must not allow H'El to gain control of Supergirl again," Nightwing called through the communicator.

"I am not leaving you behind," if the guy were able to hurt Superman and Shazam, he could hurt anyone.

"I can protect myself," and before he could protest any further, she shed her humanoid appearance and turned into a giant white snake. There were no words to describe how terrifying she looked. Her eyes shone with a bloody light as her reptilian lips peeled back to display row after row of bone snapping fangs like those of a shark. A pair of green wings emerged on the slithery back as it turned in the air turning into a cold blooded barrier. At the end of her long coiling tail, there was what seemed to be a thorn and he could just bet it was not just for show '_go, he is breaking through my barrier. He will be here any moment.'_

She communicated for the first time with him through her telepathic link. His whole back became rigid as strange sensation invaded him. Something inside his head was shouting danger. He could feel the link break the next moment. His powers, those he couldn't remember learning to control, were doing what was natural to them.

"Your mission is to take Supergirl to the Fortress," Nightwing said through the communicator. It was starting to annoy him how calm he sounded when their friend was about to face that monster "Superman has already been briefed on what is happening. He is ready to help you with Supergirl in case she is still partially under H'El's control."

"I am not leaving her behind," he said though every cell in his body was shouting to get as far as possible from the White Martian.

"Blue is on his way to meet you. If you don't get out of there, you are going to get him killed," Nightwing's voice took a cold tone.

"Then tell him to retreat," he said standing (floating?) his ground. Miss Martian's ruby eyes glared at him. He guessed she had no vocal cords in that form.

"You Titans don't answer to us, remember?" Nightwing said with mirth. Then, he spoke to him in a tone that he had only heard Batman speak in, "Red Robin might be your leader, but you are their senior, you are the one responsible for him. You knew this when you left with them. Now, take responsibility."

He opened his mouth to refute before he sensed Miss Martian trying to link with him again. His head started to buzz before he shook it. She retreated and glared at him even more. She wanted him gone.

"We are not done talking," he said and he could swear she rolled her frightening eyes at him. He flew away from her as fast as he could. The sooner he got Supergirl to Superman the faster they could go back to help Miss Martian.

"Superboy!" he heard a new voice shout after him. He slowed down only slightly for _him_, or better to say _them_ to catch up with him. "I can't get hold of Kid Flash and Red Robin. I think the League is jamming us." A young man in blue insectoid armor reached him. From what Miss Martian had told him about the Titans he was the Blue Beetle. He definitely looked the part with the gleaming insect wings on his back.

"I know we are in deep shit if the guy was able to land a hit on you and Big Blue. But shouldn't we be looking for him?" but the Blue Beetle wasn't alone. A similar red armored man was with him. He looked stronger, but also less sure about himself as he flew alongside them. He smelled of new from miles away.

"Ehm, this is Thorax," Blue Beetle said looking unsure if this was the right time for introductions.

"We already met," Thorax said. That was just great; another name he couldn't remember "it's Paco, from the Posse. It has been a while, right?" he laughed nervously as he looked from Supergirl to him and back.

"Yeah," sure, why not, "we need to get Supergirl to the Fortress. Miss Martian is stalling H'El. He was able to defeat Shazam."

"How do these guys pick their names?" Thorax said with a frown.

"Then we don't have much time," Blue Beetle said shedding all previous insecurity, "Thorax, the wings are slowing us down. Use the thrusters instead." And then he watched the translucent blue wings disappear before the armor on his back transformed into the said thrusters. Thorax had done the same thing before they were racing through the sky at all speed.

"God!" shouted Thorax as he shielded his eyes out of instinct.

The Blue Beetle snapped at him, telling him that his eyes were shielded by the armor, but he would get hurt if he didn't watch where he was going. Thorax did as he was told and then they were flying fluently through the firmament. The snow banks had become more prominent before they spotted the Fortress of Solitude. Superman was outside waiting for them. He took Supergirl from his arms the next moment and raced inside.

"Can we really go inside?" Thorax asked, "this is like Superman's house, right?"

"We are staying here to guard," Blue Beetle said looking up at the sky and glaring at the enemy still to arrive. "I am guessing you don't want me calling Red Robin and Kid Flash since you haven't done it."

"H'El is too powerful," he said wondering if they should stay at all.

"Jaime…" Thorax said looking concerned. He didn't blame him.

"We are already involved," Blue Beetle said giving him a measured look. He could sense that armor wasn't just about the weapons and flying. He could see something else. "What happened to you?"

"I will explain later," he said rushing inside. The sooner Supergirl was okay, the faster they could go help Miss Martian.

"Friendly as ever," he heard Thorax say before he flew back to the infirmary.

He found Superman working on the same computer as before, but this time the one laying on the cold table was Supergirl. A virtual image of her brain was being displayed in the air. The frontal lobe was being highlighted. She was so still that if it wasn't for the highlighted part of her brain he would be wondering if she was alive. Then, she took a deep breath. It seemed her previous nightmare was gone.

"The League just called. Miss Martian was defeated," Superman said as he studied the readings the computer was giving him on Supergirl.

"Is she-?"

"Wonder Woman was able to get her out just in time. She is weak, but she will survive," Superman said with a frown. He didn't like what he saw in those readings.

"I tried to stay with her, but…" he should have just done it.

"You did the right thing. Shazam and Miss Martian have probably weakened H'El. I wish it hadn't ended the way it did, but nonetheless they helped us not just buying some time," Superman said placing a hand on Supergirl's forehead.

"Blue Beetle and Thorax are outside of the fortress," he said before Superman changed something on the screen and they had a view of the front of the fortress. Blue Beetle was standing where he left him looking at the sky. Thorax in the meanwhile was looking amazed at seeing Superman's dog fly around them. Wolf was sitting beside the Blue Beetle, also waiting for the enemy.

"Thorax?" Superman said with a frown. "No idea who that is, but Blue Beetle is a good judge of character." And the image was gone.

"He clearly is new at this," he said suppressing the urge to run a hand down his face. He had hoped Superman would agree with him and send them home. Who would oppose him anyway?

"And Blue Beetle knows it. He will take him out of here if he thinks he is in danger," Superman said too offhandedly for his liking.

"He is just a kid! I am telling them to go home!" he said starting to march back and tell them to get lost.

He heard a voice speak again in that language Superman and Supergirl had used before. He heard a gasp and turned around. H'El was choking Superman. He was saying something to Superman, before glaring at him and he had to guess at the armor he was wearing. His pitch black eyes stayed on the crest in the chest for too long. He sneered hi name _"Kon" _he knew what the name meant, but it still made him angry the way H'El said it. As if he not worth of life. He launched at H'El, but the joy of finally getting to punch him lasted only so little. Next thing he knew they were crashing into the snow a few miles away from the fortress.

He could only see a star-covered sky above him. It felt like he had been here once before. He had sat up before a hand appeared in front of him. He looked up and saw Superman offering to help him up. On the side of his face was a darkening bruise. It shook him that he didn't look as worried or scared as he felt. H'El had just single-handedly kicked them out of the fortress. This was a man that could probably move the moon out of its orbit, travel through space, and take a dip in the sun and there was someone stronger than him.

"Did we just get kicked out of the fortress?" he asked before he spotted Blue Beetle and Thorax flying towards them.

"We will get it back," Superman said pulling him up to his feet, "and Kara too."

"H'El activated some sort of energy field around the place," Blue Beetle said before he turned to look at the fortress. There was luminous green essence about it. "We tried breaking through it, but it's impossible."

"Great, he found the defense room," Superman said with a frown, "it won't be long before he gets access to the other chambers."

The other chambers, his recordings had mentioned in passing. Superman confiscated some of the most dangerous weapons in the universe and had them locked in those rooms. He trusted no one would ever be able to get them as the fortress was impenetrable. The technology used by the fortress was only understood by the remaining two Kryptonians and him. They hadn't counted on someone like H'El coming along.

"I know I am the new guy," Thorax said, "but I think shouldn't we be calling the League."

And he could tell Superman was reluctant, but it wasn't up to vote. The weapons in the Fortress were too dangerous. The League knew this.

"You should listen to him," they looked up and saw Wonder Woman flying down, "he might actually make you two see sense. What we do is not kids' game."

She wasn't alone. One of the League's ships was coming as well.


	29. Chapter 29

Author's Note: For those who read the comics, you probably already know I borrowed a lot from the comics for this arc, because it was a fantastic arc. If you want to check out the real thing, the comic book arc is called 'H'El on Earth' or issues Superman 13 to 17, Superboy 14 to 17 plus Annual 1, and Supergirl 14 to 17. Enjoy.

Becoming Superboy 29

Kal El hated her. She had no friends left. She was in a world that she didn't understand. She just wanted to go back home. Yet, it felt so good to let everything go and listen to H'El's well-arranged words. He was Kryptonian alright. The way he said things, praying on what she wanted and what she knew. He wanted her help and to him she was the only person who could help him. He considered Kal El a complete loss for he ran away with the clone and left her, his own flesh and blood behind. She knew it wasn't true. Even if Kal El hated her, he was not the type to leave anyone behind. Anyone could ask Lex Luthor how many times Superman had saved him. Still, it felt good to be wrapped in those words. She felt like she belonged next to him.

"_How are you feeling?"_ he asked her holding her chin with his rough fingers.

"_Much better,"_ she said with a halfhearted smile. His pale scarred face still frightened her. It was as if he wasn't truly alive sometimes. It didn't seem to warm up to the sun like hers.

They were floating so close to the sun. Her whole body felt warm and safe, and at the same time stronger.

"_First, we must remove any obstacle,"_ H'El said releasing her chin and turning his sight to the far off point that was Earth.

"_I am not killing anyone,"_ not in Earth or Krypton was there a good reason to kill.

"_You can't kill what never has truly been alive, Lady Kara,"_ H'El said with a short disgusted laugh.

"_You mean Kon?"_ the memory of him flying with her back to Metropolis came to mind. He had been so upset at her because he had just saved her from an alien parasite and all she had done was expect him to mock her.

"_No clone should have so much power. He is a threat to our objective," _H'El declared.

"_Kal El won't let us near him,"_ and she didn't want to go near him. She imagined his accusing glare when they came face to face.

"_He can't watch him all the time. We just have to bide our time,"_ he turned to face the sun again and basked on its power.

She didn't know how long they were there, but when he took her hand and transported them back to Earth it was almost nightfall. They were flying over Metropolis. Her heightened senses told her Kal El wasn't anywhere nearby, but Kon was. He was in an apartment, probably the one where Kal and he had moved in recently.

"_The moment we move on him Kal El will come,"_ and she didn't want to fight her cousin.

"_I can't help to think you aren't wholly compromised on restoring of our world,"_ he said looking down at her.

"_Of course I am, I just believe that we shouldn't mess with Kon and go straight to the Fortress," _H'El was able to beat him before.

"_I need time to break through the defenses of the Fortress. They are set to only work for the members of the House of El, at least those who share Jor El's blood. Kal El probably doesn't know as he spends so much time in this unevolved world," _even she didn't know that.

"_So, I am the bait," _she was starting to think she was no more than an accessory to H'El.

"_Lady Kara… I won't wait another moment to restore our world,"_ he was too close too suddenly and holding her head between his hands.

"_What are you doing?"_ she tried to pray them off.

"_Just remember the pain they caused you,"_ he touched his forehead to hers. It was clammy and cold.

"_No!" _she recognized the feeling immediately. She had felt it when she learned about Kon El. But it was not the first time she felt so much fear.

She was a little girl again in Argo City. She was running through the halls of the place she used to know as her home. Now, it would become her resting place if she didn't get away from the clones. Her father's lab would be the safest place to be, her father was always there to her mother's displeasure.

"_Kara run!" _she heard her mother shout behind her, _"stay away from my child, monsters!"_

"_Haaa!" s_he heard the clones, once their drones, charge towards her mother.

"_Ahhh!" _her mother charged too.

She kept on running. Some got past her mom and she could hear them getting closer to her. She cried out as something burn her arm. She turned her head just slightly to see they were pointing energy guns at her. She ran faster until she spotted her father's lab. The tears she had been holding started flowing for the door had been forced open with some sort explosive. She kept on running. She had to believe he was still alive.

When she entered the lab, she found the biggest monster of all. Kon was standing over her father's lifeless body. There was a large pool of blood around him. His eyes stared emptily into space as Kon stared down at him with little to no emotion.

"_You are pathetic," _Kon said stepping away from Zor El, "you don't deserve to exist."

"_Please, no"_ he started walking towards her. She stepped back until her foot hit something. She turned around and saw all around her those killed by the clones. Mountains of bodies from every age and region of Krypton were around her rotting and staring at her with pity. They knew she would be joining them soon.

"_You Kryptonians aren't better than us, you are inferior. You keep us on leashes because you are afraid we will realize it,"_ the clone changed before her eyes. He no longer looked like the Kon she knew from her studies. Instead, he took the young form of Kon El. His eyes were the same as her cousin's, as her father's. He stared at her with so much contempt she thought she was going to be sick.

"_Stop, please stop,"_ it was not her fault the people of Krypton had been cruel to the clones. It wasn't her fault that they had forgotten they were living beings. She now knew it had been wrong to use the living to experiment on against their will. It wasn't her fault they were used for jobs which were too dangerous, too straining and too low for them to do themselves. It wasn't her fault they weren't treated better than disposable objects, easily replaced. It wasn't her fault.

"_You think you have everything arranged to perfection when clearly your greatest fault is your overconfidence. Why else we with our limited resources were able to do this? It's time to put you in your place,"_ he kicked her on her chest. She was no longer the little girl, but she was powerless.

"_No…"_ she fell on her back only to come face with her mother's rotting head, severed from its body. Her mouth was open in the form of her last agonizing scream.

"_Even your cousin could see it, why can't you?"_ Kon said standing next to the head before kicking it.

"_Kon! You will pay!"_

She launched at him and started punching him as hard as she could. They broke through the ground and the harder she hit him, the deeper they went.

"_I will kill you!"_ her hands were hurting, but she only took bare notice of it. She would avenge them. She would not let him get away.

"Leave me alone!" Kon El had shouted before the world became a searing pain. He had burned her face. He was escaping. She went after him. The world changed between the remains of Argo and another place she knew. She just couldn't recall what it was.

Then, she was captured by a flying beast with red eyes and white skin. She tried to fight it, but she could sense it trying to pierce at her mind. Attempting to break something.

"C'mon Superboy! Knock her out!" the creature shouted.

"I think not Martian," H'El was there the next moment. Everything around her started to twist and she knew this was no longer a reality. Her memories were mixed up. Her eyes, however never left the murderous Kon. Those clones had been the reason why her world was gone, why her family was gone. Yet… this wasn't that Kon, right? That Kon died on Krypton with everyone else. This was Kon El, right? The Kon that started the war… he was…

"-messing with the wrong god-power wielding dude. I am magic, something you Kryptonians are not good against."

The world went dark then. She was falling, but someone caught her.

The old dream returned and it played again and again in her head. She was running through the halls, finding his father dead with Kon. Kon belittling them and then her mother's dead face. She tried to stop in the dream, shouted and begged. Eventually, she became numb to it. At that point, she could hear words breaking through her nightmare.

"But I think you wouldn't have left the Team if you didn't think they were that good."

"I don't know any of them."

"You will remember."

"Superman keeps saying the same. Neither of you knows if that will happen."

"I forgot what a downer you used to be. After all I have seen on Earth, there is very little I don't believe possible."

That was right. They weren't in Argo or even Krypton. They were on Earth. Krypton was gone. Now, she lived in Metropolis like her cousin. She went to college and she found interest in-. The nightmare started to fade away. She felt the humming comfort of a healer's table.

"H'El!" she heard Kal El shout.

"_Don't be so surprised Kal El. I have known where you were all this time. I only bought some time to get through your defenses thanks to your little clone. Who I see is now wearing your armor. Just when I thought you couldn't go any lower,"_ then she heard Kal El gasp, _"Kon, you are becoming a real pest."_

"Ahhh!" he heard Kon El's battle cry, and then everything became silent.

"_Defensive Shield activated," _she heard the Fortress announce.

"_Now, let's get back to our mission Lady Kara," _next thing she knew he was holding her so she was standing upright. Her mind went numb and everything she had seen and heard until then went to the back of her mind.

888

They were walking through the many halls of the Fortress. It astounded even her that her uncle had been able to convey such a magnificent structure for Kal El to take with him to Earth. It was also sad that it was so empty. A place like this back in Krypton would have been loved and visited often.

"_Where is Kal? Does he know we're here?"_ he only trusted a few to come up to the Fortress.

"_If he knows, he does not care, Kara. This place is just a relic to him, an echo of a home he doesn't even remember. Why else would he hide these treasures of Krypton in such a remote and desolate place? It's as if he's embarrassed by his heritage."_

But she knew H'El was wrong. Kal El chose the place because that way the Fortress wouldn't be spotted by Earth's technology, and also because it gave him, or at least used to, give him the solitude he sometimes needed. Living 24/7 with super-senses was no walk in the park.

"_Embarrassed by his people, including the ones still alive and trapped inside this bottle. Kandor deserves better,"_ she had known they were coming here, but she was still shocked every time she saw it. The whole city of Kandor had a chamber of its own where a large crystal container held it.

"_I know Kal El said he's been trying to find a way to save them, but…"_ something about what they were doing seemed wrong. She approached the city and looked at it. It was just as she remembered it when her mother would fly her to see her best friend. It was so beautiful; the only remaining jewel of Krypton.

"_The only way to save them is from the inside of Kandor itself, Kara," _he placed his cold hand on her shoulder, _"and only you can find it!"_

She felt as if someone had punched the air out of her lungs before she stared down at Kandor, but this time from a real life-sized view. She looked up and saw the crystal ceiling. She was in Kandor! Somehow H'El was able to miniaturize her and send her inside. Her fogged up mind wondered why. Wait, he had said something about saving Kandor from inside. She flew through the towering buildings and found heartache in the perfectly preserved monuments of her once home. It was like being back in Krypton. It was like a dream come true!

No, she realized coming to ground lever. It was more like a nightmare. The people of Kandor were all frozen in stasis. They were floating in the streets, their eyes always open and looking up. Those eyes stirred something in her mind. A dream, a nightmare she hadn't been able to wake up from. But, in the dream they hadn't been sleeping. No, they were- no, no no! They were still alive. They could still be saved. She had to believe H'El could actually find a way.

"_Kara?" _she turned around and met with a young man, _"I am sorry I didn't fully explain what we were doing, but I was afraid you wouldn't believe me if I told you where we needed to go._

"_Who are you?" _he reminded her of Kal and Kon, but his body wasn't solid. She could tell it was some sort of projection.

"_It's me, Kara. __It's H'El. __This is what I looked like before I changed," _but he looked too much like Kal and Kon. It was disturbing. Those feelings went away, and she was left feeling empty. She looked at H'El for answers, but all he did was give her a sweet smile. _"I can't shrink my own physical body as I could yours, but I can project this astral image. I thought seeing me… normal again might help you trust me."_

But something whispered in the back of her mind that it wasn't working.

"_If I only knew why I changed… what actually happened to me after I left Krypton. So many gaps in my memory…" _he looked at his own hand, and for a moment his appearance flickered and he looked more like her uncle, Jor El._ "But I don't have time to wonder. I wish I could just pull these people out of Kandor, but there's no way to know how the shock would affect them. It might free them from stasis… or it might kill them. The only way to truly save them is to travel back before Brainiac attacked them. Before Krypton was destroyed."_

"_Time travel?" _hadn't Kon and his friends said something about that?

"_And part of the solution is here in the city," _H'El said as they continued to walk through the streets full of people in stasis.

His voice was hypnotic. It was also Kryptonian, but there was something alluring about it. It made her feel sure about what they were doing again. It reminded her that he was the only being who could truly understand her. Kal El hadn't felt the pain she had when she found Krypton was gone. She was sure H'El had for all that they were doing.

She stopped in midstep before floating towards a particular person. She felt more than heard H'El displeasure at the distraction.

"_Tali," _her best friend, she was alive. The cloak of smoke in her mind lifted as she stared at the face of her friend completely unchanged. Her heart was so full of joy at knowing she was still alive, yet she felt her heart might break at seeing her in stasis. Her gray eyes stared directly up as her soft pink hair floated around her. Her tan skin was covered in a beautiful blue gala dress. She had been somewhere important when all of this happened. _"Oh Tali, you have to tell me everything that has happened since I last saw you. I promise I will find a way to save you. I am going to save you all no matter what it takes."_

"_Well said Lady Kara," _H'El said behind her, _"let's get what we came for."_

They flew directly to the Central Power Station of Kandor. The building reminded her of Earth's Easter eggs. It was colorful and beautiful to look at.

"_If we are going to travel back in time, we need a power source greater than any we can find on Earth. Except for here of course."_

Time travel. Time travel. Something kept nagging her mind about that. They flew to the center of the building where on a pedestal a beautiful crystal floated just above. Her father had taught her about them. This was one of the most precious inventions of their world. It was what separated them from the old cultures. The clean energy of the crystals. One crystal alone could take care of an entire city.

"_There it is. That's what we need," _H'El flew straight to it.

"_But doesn't the city need it? If we take it…" _the life support of the city would be powerless, everyone would die in stasis.

"_It's okay Kara,"_ he spoke to her as if she was a child and it was pissing her off, "_when we are finished, this crystal will be safely back in Kandor and Kandor will be safely back on Krypton. A living Krypton."_

Okay, she thought taking a deep breath; that made sense. None of this would have happened if everything went their way. She extended her hands until they were under the crystal and then she pulled it out. It was incredible. It felt like the energy of the sun hitting her skin at close proximity. She was holding the heart of Kandor with her bare hands.

"_The sooner we're on our way…"_ she appeared back in the room where the vase was being held, _"the sooner that becomes our new reality. Now that we have this, there's only one element left that we need."_

She was standing before him. He looked so different from the projection he sent with her.

"_You can't imagine how much this means to me, Kara. Your cousin would never have agreed to remove the crystal from Kandor," _H'El said looking at the colorful glass.

"_He wouldn't have?" _she thought then, of course, he wouldn't have. He would have been too worried about the Kandorians.

"_I still hope he will join us though leaving this planet and returning to Krypton would mean giving up his immense power. I wonder if he can do that," _H'El said with a frown. She felt dizzy.

"_I would," _she found her heart speaking out "_I'd give all my powers back in a heartbeat if it meant going home. If it meant saving my family, my friends, everyone." _She couldn't look at the crystal. If they failed… what had she been thinking!?

"_I want nothing more than to make that a reality, Kara,"_ he said placing a hand on her shoulder. She couldn't help flinching_, "I… I know how I must look to you. I am a freak. A nightmare. Seeing my normal self in Kandor again just reminded me of that. I know that even when we succeed, even when Krypton is saved… I won't be! I will never be normal again. Never sound the way I once did. Never feel the way I once did. But you can still live the life you were meant to live, Lady Kara."_

His strange voice, it didn't sound so cold anymore. She could hear the echo of the voice she heard inside Kandor. Was that really his voice?

"_You will never know what your trust has meant to me. You treat me like I am not a monster. You treat me like I am whole again."_

Her mind was buzzing. She could swear she heard sincerity, but there was something else.

"_I know I can never truly be whole again. But, having you on this journey with me is enough. Saving Krypton with you, I couldn't have asked for anyone else."_

"_Really?" _her cousin was so much stronger and braver than her.

"_That we will be going home together, of living that beautiful moment with you Lady Kara, aren't you happy as well?"_ he was looking at her so carefully, as if he could see through her.

"_Y…yes," _she said seeing that moment in her mind. Returning home, returning to her family… with H'El by her side, _"I am happy."_ She leaned forwards, and she saw him smile before their lips locked.

She was, right?

_888_

"We are not seriously going to talk to that guy, right?" he still remembered his last meeting with him, or at least the last his memories allowed him to remember. He left him standing under a bridge after using a control word. He had felt so powerless.

"He is the smartest human on the planet," Superman said as they exited the Zeta Beam into Metropolis.

"And a complete egomaniac," he said as they flew towards Luthor's Tower. The place looked like it had recently been attacked. It was half burned. But, the top floor was not their objective. They flew a few levels down where a window was left open.

"Still the smartest human around," Superman said stopping a safe distance from the windows before the panels on the sides opened revealing the mouths of cannons.

"Are those antimatter cannons?" he asked wide eyed. Wherever they moved, they followed.

"Yes, armed to go off if anyone with Kryptonian DNA gets closer than ten feet," and he knew this was not the first time he had been here. There was a sort of ceremonial feeling to it.

"Superman, welcome," Luthor said appearing on the window. He leaned on the window sill, much like a neighbor leaning out to chat. There was something very wrong with that.

"Distance Luthor, you know the drill," Superman said crossing his arms. He kept an expression of calmness.

"You wound me," Lex Luthor said taking a step back, "there, now will you relax?"

"Never, I am only here for your expertise on a matter that I think threatens the entire world," Superman said not relaxing one bit.

"Wait- you're asking him for help? I might be…" he met eyes with Luthor, the man smiled at him and he knew it was no good to let him hear much, "…incomplete right now, but I don't need the rest to know he is all kinds of evil."

"It takes one to know one boy," Luthor said with a smirk.

"Huh?" he wasn't evil. All he had learned pointed out that he was still one of the good guys or did Luthor know something he didn't?

"We have no time for your head games. I need your help," Superman said unflinchingly.

"Since you asked so politely, I trust you're inquiring about H'El," Luthor said reeling in the feeling of having Superman, of all people, ask for his help.

"Why am I not surprised?" Superman said retaining his composure, which he was having trouble masking his shock.

"Oh, how I wish I could take credit for all the pain he is causing you. But the truth is, I only know about him because I have been watching him, watching you," he couldn't help narrowing his eyes on the man. How much did he know about them? "What can I say? That's just the kind of guy I am," and his shameless smile said everything else.

"H'El wants to restore Krypton, but the only way he could do that would be by traveling in time. I want to know if he can and at what price?" Superman said staring at Luthor in the eye. Neither one flinched.

But that was impossible. Time travel absolutely an impossible feat. Still, it was Superman who said it, so maybe he had some experience with it.

"Absolutely," said Luthor with an ever growing smirk, "at the cost of every single life on the planet Earth. I will help you. But let me talk to the Superboy." The man looked at him and knew something else was going on. His previous words about him being evil they rang through his head.

"Pardon the expression, but no chance in hell," Superman said showing emotion for the first time. It was annoyance.

"It's fine," he said, "what do you want?"

"There's the spirit," Luthor said before the cannons were covered by their panels. "Come closer boy."

"I think not," he said keeping his distance.

"Then I won't help," Luthor said turning his back on them.

"You don't have to," Superman told him ready for them to fly away.

"If it gets him to talk then I will-" he started to say.

"Wonderful," Luthor said turning back. He was already flying in front of the window. "I don't think I have thanked you properly for saving me but have you made any progress finding the culprits?"

"No," he said with a frown. He saved Luthor?

"I know you won't tell me much, or at least you can't right now," he said with a knowing smile.

Superman's annoyance turned into anger. He was wondering just like him if Luthor had actually joined with H'El and was trying to mislead him.

"I imagined as much. Superman here seems to have no idea what we are talking about even though you probably tell him everything," Luthor said picking at his nails.

"You aren't making any sense," he told the so called genius.

"Your memory was altered, so was his, and mine too. Do you remember?" Luthor asked, "of course not. That's the whole point." He pointed up, to the top floor which was being taken down because of the fire. "Whoever did it was not after my life, but merely altering my memories. They still want us around, just not knowing enough. Think of the people you would trust with the secret. They have probably been targeted too. Before they try to do the same to me again, let me just tell you this. You two thought I was the one who commissioned the boy's creation. It was not like that. When I found out, that's when I was first attacked, I was made to forget I even met him. Later, when you talked to me and found something going on, you and Superman became targets."

"Why should we trust you?" he kept himself from asking if he really carried Luthor's DNA.

"You don't have to, check yourself," he threw them a small flask with blood.

"How did you…" if he knew Luthor lost his memories, he would have never told him he was his other donor.

"I reached to some old colleagues. Remember Slade and Rash Al Ghoul? I knew they had stolen some files from me and their kind are not easy to find. Whoever did this to us has not found them yet," and if they had, they were probably dead, Superboy knew enough about those two men to know they were not to be messed with.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked at the flask of blood labeled with two Ls.

"Why else? Because no one messes with me" his anger showed for a moment, "believe me, I am spending millions on finding who they are right now, but your cooperation would also be appreciated. It would benefit all of us to have them stopped."

And it would be better if it were them who found them; otherwise he doubted they would get a chance to pay for their crimes.

"You two can go back behind the invisible line now. Let's get back to talking about our new visitor," Luthor said and just a few moments later the cannons were back on.

"Tell us all you know about H'El and his plan," though he was more than happy to check if he was indeed not part Luthor, they had to take care of H'El first.

"Quiet child, I am done with you," Luthor said narrowing his eyes on him, now that was the Luthor he knew. He turned to Superman and he could just imagine him lifting a small cup of tea over his words "what a positively exquisite creation. A piece of art, actually. Certainly a pale shade of the grandeur of its donor, but this clone is not without its charms."

"Just because you told us something we wanted to hear, it doesn't mean we believe it," he was right. Luthor might be playing with him. Was that blood really his?

"Oh believe me, if he had at least one of my DNA strands, he would be much smarter," Luthor said looking at him with pity, "though it seems whoever is his other donor does not have the same patience you do. I wonder who he will now blame for his shortcomings. Sad, isn't? He probably blames me for not being exactly like you, but then again the Originals are usually better."

"Stop talking about me like I am not here, Luthor! If you have something to say about H'El, then out with it or-"

"Don't ever talk to me like that again, **Kon**. Or I will have you reduced to your recumbent DNA strands and have your conscience dispersed to the farthest ends of the omniverse before you are even aware you are dead. I tolerate Superman because he is the closest thing I have on this planet to an equal. I would afford you no more courtesy if I were having a conversation with my own appendix, which now you aren't even better than. Do you understand me, 'Superboy'? Though you aren't even a child, right?"

"Mmph, fine," he said through clenched teeth. "Tell us, please?" he asked with what was clearly a fake smile.

"Splendid, there is hope for you yet," Luthor said also with a fake smile. He was sure the guy would try to kill him after they found those who were manipulating their memories if what he was saying was true.

"We are all very impressed by your ability to intimidate teenagers, Lex. Now about H'El," Superman said regaining his stoic manner.

"As I suspect even you suspect it was no incident that he chose to lock himself away in the Fortress of Solitude. You and I both know it is where you keep the unfortunate denizens of Kandor. The bottle city from Krypton in which they have been kept since our initial encounter with The Collector. Now imagine if H'El were able to use the same infinite energy source that powers Kandor to fuel a ship through the Chronal-Nexus that exists both everywhere and nowhere all at once and not at all. 'But Lex,' you are no doubt thinking," more like when was he going to get to the point "'even if that were possible, where would he find the source to protect his vessel while traveling through said theoretical nexus?' He can't, I would answer because nothing on Earth could provide such vast amounts of energy. Which is why, naturally, he would be forced to look outside our relatively meager planet's orbit and instead draw the countervailing electromagnetic energy for our entire solar system by collapsing it into itself in something of a reverse big bang," and then he made a fist and a small popping sound.

He didn't want to believe it, but the way Superman remained still and contradicting told him it was the truth.

"So yes, it is possible. A win for Krypton, perhaps, but a losing proposition for Earth," though the man seemed to be taking it quite well.

"Interesting," Superman said unflinchingly. He wondered if Luthor was trying to get a reaction out of him. Any normal being would be fretting, but it seemed Superman also had nerves of steel.

"That's very gracious of you to say Superman, but we both know you are lying through your perfectly white teeth," Luthor sneered at him. The man hated anyone who could possibly look down on him. "Your alien mind is second only to my own, yes, but I haven't told you anything you don't already know. You figured out H'El's plan the instant he made his way into the fortress and got his hands on the artifacts you keep there. You didn't come here for my 'expertise.' You came to make up your mind. You know in your heart the only way to stop H'El is to kill him, just like you have wanted to do with me for years. But, of course, you can't have the rest of the world think you anything but their savior."

"Thank you, Luthor. You have been of service to your planet," Superman said starting to fly away. He gave Luthor one last glance before following.

"You can turn your back on me, Superman. It's a lot easier than turning away from the truth. You pride yourself on using your innate power to serve humanity. You are so much better than the rest of us. But ask yourself, why can H'El do so much more than you? Is he more powerful than you, or have you just failed to make yourself as powerful as he? And it that is the case, what are you so afraid of, Superman?" Luthor shouted until they were out of earshot.

"He really loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he? Does he always talk so much?" and please tell him he really doesn't have his DNA.

"Only when I bring company along," Superman said with a smirk which quickly faded, "did you put your flash drive back on the sphere?"

"I did. You believe what he said about someone messing with your memory too?" if it was a secret, who else would he have told? Those who were his closest friends were no longer so close.

"Something tells he might be right," Superman said as they kept flying towards the Zeta Beam.

"But it was H'El who did this to me," but something in the back of his mind made him doubt. H'El wanted him gone, why mess with his memories if that was the case?

"Are we sure it was H'El?" the bad guys weren't known to attack one at the time.

"I guess not," he said trying to remember, but then his head started to hurt. From one moment to the next the pain became blinding. When he opened his eyes, he was no longer in the air, but standing in front of something that looked like his old pod. He was inside or was it Match, or another clone? The clothes were different.

**Go away! **

"Superboy?" he opened his eyes and realized he stopped in midair, "are you alright?"

"What?" he asked. What had he seen?

"You froze for a few minutes," Superman told him clearly worried.

"I did?" he saw something. Was it himself?

"Don't try to remember for now," Superman said, "we have to hurry."

He could only nod before he followed.


	30. Chapter 30

Becoming Superboy 30

He needed to make sense of his thoughts. He was a clone created to replace Superman, or maybe not? That seemed to have been the cover the real reason, whatever that was. He had been expected to be as strong as him, one of the most powerful beings known though he was part human. Were those expectations also lies? That would have been nice to know the same day he left his pod. Until recently he believed his human half came from Superman's greatest enemy, Lex Luthor; a power hungry, sadistic villain of pure evil. He wasn't exaggerating. After one short talk with him he still couldn't stop the feeling he was going to come true on that promise of splitting his genetic strands to the winds. This wouldn't be hard to do at that time. If it weren't for the borrowed Kryptonian armor, he would be falling apart. Though it was nice to know he wasn't related to Luthor now he was being plagued by questions which were too dangerous to answer. Who made him? For what purpose was he created? And from whom did his human DNA come from?

To add to all of this, he had forgotten most of his life. He wasn't sure who his friends were anymore. Wally and Artemis were no longer with the Team. Nightwing, once Robin was nothing like the kid he used to know. He and Kaldur seemed to have grown apart. And Miss Martian… he wasn't sure what to think about her anymore. She had tried to do something horrible to him and she had paid for it. Though she claimed they were friends, he could tell it was more out of years of working together than anything else.

He wasn't sure what had become of his life, or if he liked it. Had he thought it through since he found he didn't age? Did he really want to work a civilian job? Then there is the jackass that took over Superman's place who is planning to restore Krypton by destroying the Earth Oh and Superman's cousin was helping him. Oh, and he almost forgot, they both hate clones.

Who the hell did he piss off for his life to become such a mess?

They made it to the base where the League was still planning on how to break into the Fortress of Solitude. It was a few miles away from the actual Fortress. Not far, the Blue Beetle and Thorax stood talking in a mixture of Spanish and English. They were not happy the League was excluding them from the planning.

"Superboy," Blue Beetle seemed to relax when he spotted him. Thorax in the other hand was watching Superman as he went to join the rest of the League. He was still upset that they were being excluded.

He flew towards them and landed before the Blue Beetle. He had known of another Blue Beetle, but he looked nothing like him. According to what he had learned; him, the new Kid Flash, and Red Robin had left the Team and become a team of their own.

"How did the talk with Luthor go?" Blue Beetle asked looking towards the League. They were standing by their ship. It seemed he had the great idea to join a bunch of amateur heroes and cut ties with the League and the Team. What had he been thinking? Though he was admittedly strong, resources were also needed to operate; otherwise they were no better than the amateur vigilante.

"H'El wants to use Earth as a base to launch a ship through time and save Krypton, but at the same time that would destroy the Earth and out galaxy" he explained and watched for their reactions. He got a glare from the Beetle, one of annoyance. It was not his fault he didn't like the answer.

"_Hombre, _that's awesome!" Thorax had said before they both looked at him questioning his sanity "I mean, you guys have experience with time travel and all that, _Que no_?"

"Not so loud, you know how the League thinks about that," Blue Beetle said before looking at the League with uneasiness.

He had to bite his tongue from asking more, they time traveled?

"Don't you mean Wonder Woman? I thought she would never leave us alone," Thorax said looking up at the sky, "never thought I would say no to a woman like that."

"She wants Thorax to join the Team," Blue Beetle told him with a wary tone.

"She was very persistent, used her Amazonian charms, and I don't mean she batted her pretty long eyelashes. By the way, are the armors good against magical Amazonian swords?" Thorax said shuddering at the memory.

"We will check later, either way Bart is out of reach. He knows more about that stuff than us. The League is jamming our signal. I can't even get hold of Tim for tactical advice," Blue Beetle said closing his eyes, "Nightwing probably. He can be too protective of Red Robin. Not many can go against Khaji Da. Got any ideas?" Blue Beetle asked him.

"We should leave this to the League," he told him before both looked at him in shock.

"What?" Blue Beetle was the first to ask.

"You aren't ready to face someone like that, I don't think even –"

"Hold it there, what's wrong with you?" Blue Beetle stepped up and poked him on the chest. A few members of the League turned their heads to look at them, the rest were much discreet.

"What?" he asked as he slapped his hand away.

"The Superboy I know wouldn't say something like that," Blue said with narrowed eyes.

"True that, you went behind the League's back to ask the Posse to help Jaime with La Dama. A real badass. Right now you are acting like a little-"

"Paco," Blue Beetle said.

"But is true!" Thorax had shouted before he noticed the League was watching them "what're you looking at!"

"The Fortress is impenetrable. It's impossible to get in," he told them.

"We have done the impossible before, stand back," Blue Beetle said before he turned to face towards the Fortress, "impossible my _cojones."_

"What's the Bleed?" Thorax asked tilting his head.

"I will get us into the fortress!" he shouted at them and the League before he disappeared in a rip in the air.

"How did he do it?" he heard Flash ask checking his communicator. He realized Blue Beetle had connected to them.

"I am nowhere near the control room, but Khaji-Da is weakening the force field. I think I can reduce it enough for Superboy to break through it with his T.K," Blue Beetle announced.

"Then Flash can vibrate through," Batman said before getting a nod from the speedster.

"But my T.K," he was sure Superman would have told them his powers were not the usual at least.

"Just try," Superman said placing a hand on his shoulder. How could they have so much trust?

Moments later they were all rushing towards the Fortress. Superman and Flash split from them. He had to guess it was part of the plan they were not briefed on.

"Stay close kid, the outer defenses are no laughing matter," Batman said to Thorax as he carried him by the arms.

"This is not the first time I go out for a night of bashing skulls," Thorax said with a short laugh.

"We had planned a three-pronged attack to get past the force field," Batman explained, "our frontal assault will work as a distraction to get you close enough to the force field."

He was about to ask him if he had in mind from the beginning to use him in their plan. But, he noticed Wonder Woman who was flying close to him was studying him. Could she also tell something was different about him?

They reached the surroundings of the Fortress and saw an army of copper colored robots with drills for hands all waiting in perfect lines.

"What the heck are those?" Thorax asked dropping Batman to the ground.

"Kryptonian Worker-Drones," Batman said, "usually used to maintain and expand the lower levels of the fortress."

"I guess they aren't here to invite us in," Thorax said before his armored hand turned into an energy canon.

"You better not mess this up," he snapped his head to look at Wonder Woman. But, her sight was set on the army of drones before them. "You better handle this better than how you handle your teammates. Blue Beetle's actions could have caused H'El to take the offense."

"I am not their babysitter," and he was no leader. Kaldur had been their leader back in the day and now was this Red Robin.

"I know you think they know what they are doing, but they don't. You are just children," she said unsheathing her sword.

"Or maybe you are just getting old," he said looking for a path among the now marching drone forces.

"I will make sure to bring flowers to your grave," he heard Thorax had said before Wonder Woman gave a loud battle cry and they raced towards their enemy. Fighting almost felt like a relief at that time. He only had to rip the drones apart and keep advancing towards the Fortress. His hands tore through the metal like paper and threw the remains against more drones delaying them until he got to them and ripped their metallic heads up. The flying made it much easier for these were not ordinary drones. They were organized enough to try to corner him. However, they were designed for construction, not battle.

He kept an eye out for Thorax, but it seemed his armor was more than capable of protecting him. However, he kept close to Batman as he was told. The man jumped among the drones with speed and agility. These were not the dark streets of Gotham, but he knew how to handle himself. He wondered if he had previous battles with the drones because for some reason the man knew the right place to hit to disable them all together.

He watched Wonder Woman ahead of him swinging her sword left and right, jumping between the drones and taking ten or more down in one move. Her strength and rage were frightening. She could cut through the metal as if it was no better than butter and pull limbs off as if they were no more than insects. Once or twice he caught her studying his movements. Never did she stop frowning. He wasn't sure if it was because he chose to leave the League, but he guessed she didn't like him much.

She jumped over him and cut from top to bottom a drone that had been standing behind him ready to attack.

"Don't waste any more time," she told him before he realized he was in front of the barrier. He didn't bother to reply and placed his hands over the shining barrier.

Please work, he begged as he looked for that something he had forgotten. At first there was nothing. He felt like an idiot and he stood there for almost a minute doing nothing. Then, there was a flash behind his eyes. A spark before a small memory took over his thoughts. He had been lying on a dessert watching the full moon night, much like the one he was under. He was afraid, and also excited because of these new powers. There was a feeling of déjà vu, much like when he lost track of the time back in Metropolis. It was a warm and generous sensation that surrounded him welcomed him with open arms. It completed him. It told him he had meaning and belonged. He embraced it and closed his eyes. He could feel everything around him. The drones, his companions, the layers of snow, and then there was the barrier that refused him. He concentrated on the barrier and lost himself on it.

The next thing he knew was a sharp pain through his body. He knew this barrier had been designed for him. H'El's doing, of course, he thought clenching his teeth. He could only remember meeting him a few hours ago, but he already despised him greatly. He was getting Psychic backslash, his thoughts were getting shredded. The memories and warm feeling were turning into a rain of shredded metal in his senses. But in the middle of the pain and his own pain filled screams he found he couldn't stop. He either pulled this or he was going to die when H'El destroyed their world. He heard a drop fall to the ground before more followed it. Blood was pouring out of his nose and he could swear from his eyes too.

"He did it!"

Next he was falling back, and someone caught him. He looked up and saw Batman looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"My head…" he said as Batman helped him stand straight. But it wasn't just his head, everything hurt, but it wasn't his body. It was something else. He just didn't know how to explain it.

"Flash!" Wonder Woman shouted. He turned his head sharply and cursed under his breath as he almost lost his balance.

"No need to tell me twice," Flash said appearing before touching the fortress. He was meant to find Supergirl and get her as far as possible from H'El's influence. He started vibrating through the fortress until he was no longer visible.

888

He was barely in his thirties, but these kids made him feel old. He missed the old days when Batman would chew them out for the most basic of things. All the kids that had started on the Team were now on a level equal to theirs, and the new ones were also getting to that point. They were still young, but without a doubt making progress in boundless leaps. He had known Superboy to be ready for quite a few years, the reason why he nominated him to join the League. Kid Flash though barely two years with them showed incredible resolve and skills beyond those his speed provided. Red Robin was already a genius before getting involved with Batman. The past few years only expanded his views which made him a great leader. If he decided to go back at any time, he knew he would have no trouble finding a place to fit in as a tactician. Blue Beetle, sincerely he had his doubts about him until recently, but where they had been looking for a way to break into the fortress and losing time, he had jumped right into the fryer, gone back, and pulled him with him into one of the many chambers of the fortress.

"No going back," Blue Beetle said as they stepped out of the rip he created in reality, "if I do that again, we are getting lost in the Bleed."

"The control rooms are this way," he knew the place like the back of his hand, "have you been able to establish any further connection with it?" He was surprised there was technology on Earth that could communicate with the Fortress.

"Khaji-Da has limited information on Kryptonian technology; I will work as fast as – what!" Blue Beetle jumped back just in time to evade a beam from piercing his leg.

"H'El has been going through the chambers," he said before looking through the chamber with his x-ray vision. He localized the robots in no time. They were surrounding them.

"You were keeping killer droids from Epsilo-18?" Blue Beetle said after a moment. Of course, his armor would know of a group of robots that once had been known to move from one world to the next eradicating all life they came across and building more of their kind. That had been one long summer.

"Not the time," besides he did disassemble them.

888

Wonder Woman had literally kicked the fortress' door down. Thorax flew closer to him.

"You still look kind of dizzy," he said though he was keeping his eyes on the frightening Amazon.

"Right," he couldn't help rolling his eyes though it hurt almost as bad as breathing.

"Our objective is the trophy room. Superman keeps some Kryptonite in there," Batman said as they ran down the main hall.

However, they didn't get far. Right head there was a new army of worker drones waiting for them.

"Go ahead; I will take care of it," Wonder Woman said rolling her shoulders and she stepped forwards.

"Let's go," Batman said before Thorax picked him up and they flew over the drones that shot at them with energy blasts.

"Is it really okay to leave her behind?" Thorax asked with a frown.

"If you want to live long enough to tell, never get between Wonder Woman and a fight," Batman said before they heard a new battle cry followed by explosions.

"Why do I get the feeling we were actually holding her back?" Thorax asked before Batman actually smirked. They actually had.

888

"You know you have a hoarding problem, don't you?!" Blue Beetle said as he blasted the last of the killer droids from Epsilo-18.

"I prefer to think of them more as souvenirs," he said as he stepped on the still working hand of one of the droids. It had been trying to assemble itself back.

"Not you too," Blue Beetle sighed as they flew out of the room and started flying down the long hall.

"Some of this stuff is too dangerous to destroy. The rest I thought would come in handy later on," all the chambers they flew by were filled with weapons like the droids they just destroyed. Their separate parts were just as dangerous as the whole package.

"Not so much anymore," they stopped ahead in front of one of the main chambers. More killer droids from Epsilo-18 were waiting for them and they had made themselves at home. They had incorporated into their arms some of the weapons he had confiscated over the years.

"None of them could be left behind; they would just fall to the wrong hand eventually," like H'EL's.

"And why not give them to the League," Blue Beetle asked him with a frown.

"Too much responsibility," he said before he flew straight into the mass of murdering droids.

888

"How big is this place?!"

He was wondering the same thing. He had only seen some of the central rooms. It was getting harder and harder to keep his astonishment every time they entered another chamber.

"This place is awesome," Thorax said as his pupils moved seeing things they couldn't. "My Scarab doesn't know what half of this stuff is but keeps telling me to stay away from it. It's like a candy shop."

"Not here to take a tour. We are running out of time," Batman said before they entered a chamber not much different from the rest with the exception that it held little things here and there. On the side, they found a broken container which had been standing in the crystal pedestal. The Kryptonite was gone.

"He is planning to use it," Batman said with a frown.

"Shit! What do we do now?" he asked looking around the room. There was no more of the green rock he knew could take down any Kryptonian.

"We don't give up," Batman said lifting his hand. Thorax didn't waste any time to take it and carry him out. He followed closely.

"That isn't a plan! What do we do now!" they kept calling them kids, but the ones that couldn't come up with a real plan were them. Hoping and wishing was not enough!

"For once, we don't give our position away," Batman said throwing him a disappointed look. That actually hurt.

"Harsh," Thorax said.

"We have to take H'El by surprise," Batman said as they reached another chamber.

"Would that thing work?!" Thorax had asked before they spotted Superman and Blue Beetle flying around a machine out of 'War of the Worlds' which was trying to blast them. All that the rays touched became undone and disappeared

"Kon!" next thing he saw was one of the rays coming for him and then Superman getting in between. His shocked face started to become undone, like a puzzle being broken apart.

"No no no. Superman!" he reached for him but was soon being pulled back by the rest.

"It's a teleporter Superboy. He is still alive. We just don't know where he is," Blue Beetle said as they flew around the robot, it could only concentrate on one target at the time.

It was his fault Superman got taken either way. He knew they wouldn't be able to defeat H'El without him.

"Superboy, don't!" he heard Batman shout as he jumped straight into one of the rays. He had to get him back.

888

_It's wonderful to welcome you_

_New life mysterious to me_

_Though, I know you can't hear me_

"I can hear you," he said opening his eyes. A wave of dizziness invaded him immediately and nothing seemed to make sense to him. The proportion of his body kept changing as if he was inside a surrealist painting.

"Then tell me what are you doing here?" Superman said floating close to him. He hadn't realized he had been flying. He couldn't even tell where the sky and the earth ended. Superman like him had no fixed form.

"Huh?" had he imagined it? "I am here to help you."

"You shouldn't have come," Superman said turning his back to him, ouch.

"Why? Because you are Superman?" he snapped at him.

"The rest needed you," Superman sighed, he was angry at him, good. He wasn't too happy about having to go after him. No one asked him to try to save him, "you are here now." He didn't like the resignation in his voice. It made him feel unneeded.

"So where are we exactly?" he asked trying not to turn his head too fast. Everything seemed to shimmy and shake when he did.

"It's a group of linked pocket dimensions. The device was used by a space pirate to imprison his enemies. I haven't had the time to study it further," Superman said sounding frustrated, and he could tell he hadn't been frustrated at him, but his own lack of foresight. He should have checked this machine further before letting it gather dust in his fortress.

The world started spinning and going down a turbulent drain, then through a straw in less than a second. If either one of them screamed, it was lost in a pocket of time. Like everything that has been going on, they were dropped in the middle of nowhere unceremoniously.

_Warmth touches my skin_

_The winds comb my hair_

_Rest on my mounds_

_Take a new breath_

At least he made it through in one piece, his sanity; not so much. He stood on what seemed to be a wheat field which went for miles in every direction. Looking at Superman standing among the tall stalks seemed kind of natural, which he found odd. The sky above them was a brownish color like the stalks and everything else around them. Strange plumes of vapor floated about the making it feel like a dream.

"This fog is damping my vision," Superman said before he too tried his one enhanced vision. "At least this place matches our perception of physical space."

"Yeah, because we don't have bigger things to worry about," he said before he tried to fly but a moment later he fell to the ground like lead. Superman tried the same with the same results.

"Jumping it is," Superman said before taking a great leap, he followed shortly after him. He couldn't help remembering his meeting with Superman on the bridge so many years ago, but only a few months to him. "This brings old memories."

"Does it?" he said rolling his eyes.

"Before I could fly this is how I got around. It was around your physical age," Superman said with a short laugh. How could he stay so composed with all that was going on?

"That's great, I just need to grow- oh that's right, I don't," he said jumping ahead of him. Superman didn't bother with a reply. His anger dissolved in Superman's self-control. He made him feel like a little child and he hated it.

"There's something that resembles a home ahead, we might find help," he said before he spotted it too.

With their luck, he was starting to doubt it. The world might have given them these incredible abilities, but it wasn't shy about throwing the worst possible at them. Still, Superman kept positive. As they jumped over the immense fields, he saw as Superman looked about in wonder. He didn't see much out of the ordinary.

"I grew up in a place like this, a farm. We spent the holidays there; you, Kara and me," Superman said when he noticed he was watching him. "No matter how many worlds I have seen, it surprises me farms can be found in just about all of them. Such fundamental necessity, yet overlooked by so many."

"You grew up on a farm?" he asked wondering if that's why he looked so in place.

"You lived there for a few months while learning to control your new powers," Superman told him

_Nooo!_

The voice returned screaming this time. Then, in mid landing a giant hand made of dirt and boulders erupted from the earth capturing them in an iron grasp.

"I have heard of sentient planets, but I never-" Superman gasped before he broke free from the giant hand by breaking the fingers. He was fast to help him free him and both landed on the Earth before more hands started erupting trying to catch them.

_Leave!_

_They have seen you!_

_They will make me hurt you!_

_Please stop!_

He had been hearing this world and he knew it was not bad, merely being used by someone. For a moment, he wondered if it was H'El, but it didn't seem right.

_Please stop!_

"She is crying," he said evading another hand.

"She?" Superman asked as he broke through the earthly hands like a wrecking ball.

"The planet!" he shouted evading more of the hands.

But it wasn't a _her_, right? It was the world… but it had a mind? He could feel her pain and frustration all around them. It was similar to how he felt when taking the barrier down. Either way, they opted for running away, a rare sight. They hurried in jumps towards the house they had spotted earlier.

"She is being used!" he said on the weeping voice's defense as from the once peaceful plains creatures made out of earth started to emerge. They had no eyes to speak of, just large mouths filled with teeth made out of boulders. They were the owners of the giant hands. They caught up with them and had him on hold with two hands trying to crush him. He faced the eyeless being and tried to free himself.

_Make it stop, please._

He could feel so much more every time he heard that weeping voice. He could feel a longing for something good, not this. He had to help her. Next thing he saw was the creature tore in half. The remains were covered by a red essence which he knew belonged to him.

"Your powers are back!" Superman said as he knocked more of the giants back.

"Not entirely," he said with a smirk. He could now feel the armor was damping his powers, like a cloak restricting his movements. Still, he had gained enough control to rip apart the remaining giants.

They hurried the rest of the way to the home. They made it to the entrance but the moment the door opened they met with a warp that pulled them in. They were again dropped somewhere, but this time it was no peaceful hills. They met with a graveyard of ships and naked skeletons from beings he couldn't start to name. The earth had a poisonous green tone. Fuel and decay from the ships stained everything. He could hear her weep for the loss of that once beautiful place.

They could fly in this new location and they discovered in great time. The skeletons, earth and pieces of ships started to rattle like snakes ready to strike. They started fussing into creatures with wings, large claws, and fangs. They screeched like banshees as they launched at them in the sky. When he hit them, he felt the bones crumble, the metal twist and the earth groan as in pain. He heard one after another crash to the ground.

"Superboy look!" he heard Superman shout before they saw those they had already defeated start assembling themselves again.

They fought on, but it seemed every time they knocked one down, two more were formed. They were actually getting overwhelmed and he could feel his senses slipping. He was glad they weren't actual living beings. His temper was slipping every time one of them actually managed to land a hit on him, and it was happening more often by the minute. It didn't help he could hear that world cry the whole while.

_Make it stop!_

He landed on the ground pinned by the beasts. They pulled at the armor and his skin trying to tear him apart. His face was shoved to the dirt the moment he attempted to use the heat vision. The moment his flesh touched the earth he could hear her ten times louder. She was begging for release of this torturous task which she despised with all her being but was unable to stop. She was calling for someone to help her.

**_"I am here!" _**he shouted before slamming his palms on the bare ground.

All he could hear at first was static. It made his bones shiver. He called out to her. He could sense her all around them, squirming at the edges of his mind. She was a consciousness of that godforsaken world. He called to her as more of those creatures dug their claws into his flesh.

**_"I am not your enemy!"_** he told her. She was confused. No one before had been able to communicate with her. He asked about the pain she felt and told her of the pain he was feeling at that time. Not because of the creatures she had created, but because he needed to go back home or there wouldn't be a home to return to. He begged her to let him in and let him help her. He felt it then, like a beating heart, a whispering voice which was getting louder.

**_"Let me help you!"_**

Then he felt a roaring shout claiming a wish to be free again. It bathed this other sense with warmth.

All around him he saw red as the world exploded in lights and the creatures they had been fighting before fell apart. Someone pulled his exhausted body from the pile of dirt, bones and metal.

"Well done Kon," Superman told him as he helped him to his shaky feet.

"It was her," he said after taking a deep breath.

"Her?" Superman asked as the world around them changed. The ships and bones were being absorbed by the world.

"This world… it is all part of a device. She was created to be a haven for the sick and weakened. A secure shelter where one could heal undisturbed. She was stolen, by the pirate you defeated probably. They corrupted her and transformed her into a murdering prison. She has hated herself ever since. We have to save her," his task wasn't over yet.

"Agreed, but first we need to find a way out," Superman said looking around.

"She showed me the way. She hasn't trusted anyone or herself in a long time so it wasn't easy for her," he understood her perfectly. He dug his hands into the barren world searching for the beating heart. The world shook again. Superman seemed ready to fight another battle, but he had no need to worry. A moment later he pulled from the ground a giant metallic sphere; the heart.

He placed his hands on it and leaned his forehead against the cold metal and asked her just to open up herself just a little more to remove the tumor which had tormented her for too long.

**_It's going to be alright girl. I know it's not easy forgiving yourself for things of the past. The one that did this to you is long gone, now is time for you to give yourself a new chance. I know is scary to start all over again and dive into the great unknown, but is the time you return to your better self. I will be here to help you. I will remove every protocol that monster put on you. I know it hurts, but I know we can do it._**

And he heard a laugh in the wind and thank you on the grass that started growing around them.

"Her core remained corrupted even after you got that pirate, now she is truly free," he said to Superman, who looked amazed as the terrain changed even further to resemble a paradise.

"Amazing," Superman said before the core started being absorbed into the ground, and deep into its center.

"It's all her," he said before he realized he was smiling. He couldn't remember the last time he smiled. **_I will come back. _**He told her. She was an amazing being. He would make sure to always remember that day because one day he would have to do the same. He knew there would be monsters for him to face as well if he kept pursuing the truth about his origin. He hoped to have at least half the courage she showed.

A blinding light wrapped them, it seemed to thank them as they were taken back to where they started. They appeared in the chamber where they had been hit. Wonder Woman, Batman, Blue Beetle, and Thorax were still there. He was about to demand to know why they had stayed there waiting for them.

"How long have we been gone?" Superman asked slightly worried.

"Around two minutes," Batman said.

"It felt like days," Superman said with a frown. So time ran differently in that strange little world.

"Isn't that convenient?" Thorax said.

"Two minutes can make quite a difference," Wonder Woman, who had once again joined them said.

"The universe is still one piece, let's not waste any more time and get going," Superman said before they heard a ping from the communicators.

"I couldn't get Kara," Flash said through the communicators, "H'El interfered and sent me to the Watch Tower. I was able to take apart some of the pieces from their machine, but that will only buy us so much time."

"How is Kara?" Superman asked.

"Superman, I am sorry, but I don't think she is doing all of it against her will," Flash said, "she wants her world back."

"So do I," Superman said, "but not at the cost of this one."

888

H'El was telling her the truth. As she had assembled the Star Chamber, he reminded of the great day when he left Krypton in the ship designed by her uncle. She knew it was true because she saw the ship was really of Jor El's making. He helped her remember that great day when he left. All of Krypton had cheered for him. She had been there too, but she had just forgotten because of her long trip to Earth. He was gifted with the crest of their family. She remembered admiring him. He helped her remember all that she forgot.

A growl snapped her from her work to look at Krypto and Wolf. H'El had placed them in a cage when they tried to age the Flash on taking her away and stopping the resurrection of their world. They were too loyal to their masters. She thought glaring at them. Krypto she understood as he had been with Kal El since he was an infant, but Wolf was another story. The dark-eyed creature didn't so much as growl as glare at her… too much like Kon.

_"They along with the rest of this world won't be of our concern soon my beloved,"_ H'El said floating next to her and helping her place the last piece of the Star Chamber into place.

_"I know you can hear me H'El!" _they heard Kal El with their enhanced hearing, _"we are going to stop you even if I have to bring down my own home down your head!"_

_"We won't he understand!" _she cried out into her hands.

_"Forgive him my love, soon we will be gone," _H'El said holding her.

She could hear her cousin ripping through the defenses they had placed. Among them many monstrous weapons which had remained dormant for years. She didn't doubt they would be enough to slow him down, but of course he wouldn't come alone. She had been listening to them. Batman, she didn't worry much about. He was an ordinary man though Kal El always talked of him as if they were equals. Wonder Woman might be slightly challenging, but her strength would not be matched for hers. Then there were the two young ones she with the Reach armors, and finally Kon. She didn't care what Kal El said anymore. She would not accept him as part of her family. After remembering the horrors clones brought to her world, and family she knew it was impossible for clones to be any different.

The fortress shook to its foundations. She heard Kon scream for H'El to show himself.

"Don't push yourself too much. You are still healing from H'El almost ripping you in half," she heard her cousin say to the clone. Her blood boiled when she heard his concern. Why would he care more for that clone than her!

_"It seems Kon has regained some of his powers, no matter," _H'El said as he finished calibrating the coordinates. _"I doubted for so long this day would ever come. This machine alone speaks of the wonders Krypton has to offer to the rest of the universe. It is indeed destiny that has brought us here to return and make a difference. There was no more doubt the moment I saw you again. Now the two of us will end this journey back home."_

He reminded her again of the wonders of Krypton. How could she have been so foolish to take them for granted? It was all so beautiful. She felt tears running down her face the more she remembered. And it wouldn't cost Earth anything. She couldn't understand how selfish they could be. All they would take was the excess solar and electromagnetic energy between the solar system's planets to protect their vessel through the trip back in time. H'El told her he tried to explain that to them, but they would not listen.

Another thunderous boom sounded through the fortress, this one much closer in origin.

_"Don't pay them any mind. They are no longer a threat," _H'El told her with a smile.

_"You think too much of yourself H'El!" _Kal El shouted as he tackled H'El _"you overestimate the lengths I would go to protect my adopted world and family!"_

She had never seen Kal El so angry before for exception of when he got mad at her and left her behind. It hurt to see him again but she knew she had to do something or he would ruin everything.

_"You have no right to talk about family! Your parents would be ashamed of the man you have become!"_ H'El shouted as Kal El grabbed him by the face twisting him back before hearing a crushing sound; H'El's cranium. That last remark made Kal El's eyes turn red before he raised his fist.

_"Please don't Kal, we are so close!"_ she said taking hold of said fist. She hadn't realized it until the. She was of the few beings who could stop that fist.

_"He has been lying to you, Kara. I have been telling you that from the beginning. Let go of me now. I will protect this world even if it means to hurt you,"_ the red was gone from his eyes, and he looked, dare she say, sad when he looked at her.

"Let him go!" she felt a fist connect with her skull before she crashed face first.

_"Gha!" _she didn't get a chance to get up. The same hand took hold of her hair and pulled her up to face her nightmare "_argh!"_

"I don't care you are family," Kon's eyes were shining red as the rest of his body with his strange powers. Blood flowed steadily from his nose and ears as he sneered at her, "you are not hurting anyone else!"

"Kon don't!" she heard Kal El shout.

_"Monster," _she heard H'El say before Kon and Kal El disappeared.

H'El hurried to her. His nose was bleeding _"are you…"_

_"Don't worry about me. Come," _he helped her stand, "_I can only do this with you."_

H'El extended his hand as if reaching for their home and used his powers to activate the Star Chamber.

888

If it wasn't the possible destruction of the universe, he might have called it beautiful. H'El had used his powers to move the whole fortress and leave them standing outside only to watch the end.

"Let's go!" Superman had said before they all started hurrying forwards.

He understood them then. They wouldn't… couldn't accept this was the end. As he flew side by side with Superman, another memory returned to him. He was flying over a battlefield; at the top of them was a dark sphere ready to fire at the world. This was not the first time he had faced the possible end of the world. He flew faster, even leaving Superman behind for a moment. They could do this. They had to!

"That thing will make the sun collapse, erasing the galaxy if we don't stop it!" he heard Blue Beetle yell from farther back.

"We need to trash the Star Chamber!" Superman shouted at them

"That sounds like a plan to me!" he was good at destroying stuff.

"Guys I need Batman and the Beetles back in the tower. Whatever H'El is doing is messing with the climate of the planet. We have more than a dozen cities and towns about to be swallowed by the sea," Flash said through their communicators, "and is just going to get worse by the minute!"

"We got the message Flash, let's go you two," Batman said motioning for the Beetles to follow him, "can you access the Bleed again?"

"Yes," Blue Beetle said before giving him an apologetic look. It was fine with him. They were strong but not in the way they could help against H'El. The next instant they had disappeared.

"You should have told Blue," Wonder Woman said flying by his side, "he is your friend."

"No time to talk," so she had noticed. It didn't matter. He would be okay to hear a lecture from her after they saved the world. He felt calm, and even a little brave at what was ahead of them. Maybe he didn't ask for this life, and usually got swept up by the momentum of the moment, but like hell he would let that keep him from standing up for his world and himself.

As they neared the fortress, they spotted the Star Chamber floating over the fortress absorbing the energy of the universe. Using his enhanced vision he spotted H'El and Supergirl managing the controls. He could hear them speak in that strange language, and wished he could at least remember that.

"He is feeding her more lies," Superman said with a frown. The next instant H'El disappeared and appeared in front of them. He looked at them with disgust and spoke in that strange language.

Superman had responded in the same language before H'El swept his arms in an arch sending waves of energy off knocking them off the air. He wished he had landed in the snow but the next moment H'El had pulled him towards him, all the while pointing at the crest of the armor.

H'El's powers were suffocating him. He could feel the prying at his own weakened powers. He could feel as he tried to rip the armor off him, but it seemed the armor was against it. After all, H'El wasn't related to them by blood. He imagined he was cursing at him in his strange language as he just seemed to get angrier by the second.

"Jealous much!" he shouted as felt as if he could feel the armor start to come undone. He didn't need to remember to know this man didn't hate him for being a clone, but because he was given the honor of wearing that armor. Even though Superman just gave it to him to keep him together, he still felt happy he had worn it.

_"…disgrace and insult to the noble house of El that you wear that armor. I will stand for it no more,"_ did H'El just make sense? He forced his eyes open through the pain. He touched the crest and allowed the armor to become undone. He was going to die if he didn't stop them anyways, might as well go out with his powers at full force.

_"You are so fucked up," _he said to H'El as he tried to free himself from his powers. Memories were pouring back so fast he had to fight unconsciousness, _"it was all a lie." _He remembered what he saw in H'El's mind at the beginning of that day.

_"You are merely a tool created by apes who couldn't understand the greatness of Kryptonian DNA," _H'El said with a glare _"It's time to discard you."_

_"Whatever lets you sleep at night H'El," _he couldn't help laughing. He looked ridiculous as he held onto the shield as if it was the most precious item in the universe as if that could undo what he truly was.

Next he was flying through the air. The northern lights were outdone by the green ray from the Star Chamber shooting into space.

_"No life deserves to be thrown away!" _he heard good old Kal El shout before he heard him land a hit on H'El's jaw.

_"Thank you,"_ he said just before preparing to crash.

"Ufff!" instead he landed on strong arms, "Superboy?"

He opened his eyes and saw Wonder Woman looking at him with worry. Not during the whole day had he seen her so worried. He couldn't believe he had forgotten the kind side to the woman.

"I am fine," he said before pulling back and looking at the Star Chamber, "Kal El will handle H'El. Let's get Kara and take that thing down."

"But Superman…" they could clearly hear the exchange of blows.

"He is angry, H'El won't stand a chance," he said before he started flying towards the Star Chamber. She nodded with a short smile.

He was back though he was trying to fight off the convulsions which threatened to overtake him. It was agony. He was dying, but the bad news for H'El was that he wasn't ready to die. As he flew, he concentrated on putting himself together. It was painful, like pulling your own teeth out without anesthesia and the deciding to give yourself a heart surgery. Everything hurt, and he knew it would be only a temporary fix, but that was all he had. The flight of a few seconds felt like a million years as he mended himself.

But he never screamed or stopped. He was going to finish that fight, no matter at what cost.

**_Superboy, you have to live._**

He heard a voice. It took her a moment to recognize it.

**_Dr. Spencer?_** He asked.

**_I know you are burning with pain, but is nothing compared to the valor of your heart. You were not foreseen and that makes you our best chance of survival. You have to survive this day because your existence could not just shape the destiny of this world but of also of countless more._**

The next moment her presence was gone. He wanted to reach to her but instead found his eyes going to the time warps which had opened just above the Star Chamber. It was almost ready to enter the time stream. Clouds of storms started shooting leaking energy. Just one hit of them and they would be history. Neither he nor Wonder Woman hesitated while flying through them. They were determined to reach the Star Chamber.

_"I saw you coming miles away,"_ Kara appeared before them. He motioned for Wonder Woman to continue.

_"We have the same sense, I assumed as much,"_ he had to stall Kara for as long as he could.

_"Stand back Kon El. I won't allow your kind to destroy Krypton again,"_ Kara said glaring at him.

_"I could care less if you moved to Mars, Kara; I am only here to protect the people of Earth,"_ he told her crossing his arms.

_"H'El already told you they wouldn't suffer,"_ she told him trying to dismiss him. He knew she was checking on Wonder Woman. She had already pulled her sword out to strike at the machine, but it was covered by the same force field the fortress had.

_"Because the sun imploding happens in a blink of an eye Kara, he has been manipulating you. Don't you feel it now? His hold is weakened because he is far and fighting Kal El,"_ he didn't have the energy left to break that barrier. If Wonder Woman couldn't pull it off, his only option was to convince Kara now and not later.

_"Liar!" _she launched at him. He saw it coming for usually rage made you clumsy, but his aching body didn't move when he told it to. He had crashed into the ice before Kara started punching him with ever other word, _"I know you are a bloodthirsty bomb who will betray all real living beings in the world sooner or later. Unlike you, we are trying to save billions of lives!"_ She stopped and started taking deep breaths as he frightened eyes wouldn't stop looking at him.

_"You have been blinded by him," _he said as he slowly stood up. He placed a hand on his chest, over the red crest, "_you know me, Kara. I am not one of them. Those clones, the ones who still haunt your dreams are gone. I am not one of them."_

_"You can't fool me! I know the truth! It has happened before! You just want to keep the work of your brothers and prevent the return of Krypton!" _she hit him on the back with her two hands together. His body broke through layer after layer of ice until he landed in an underground cave. He heard her sigh in relief.

Oh, he wasn't done!

_"I told you I don't care about Krypton!" _he flew out using his powers to try to keep him together. He could feel the blood already boiling in his veins trying to evaporate. "_I just want to save Earth and everything else! You would have done the same in my place! C'mon Kara! I know you are a lot smarter than that! You are a member of the House of El! You know when that chamber goes it won't leave anything behind!"_

_"H'El said that wouldn't happen! Why should I believe a clone over someone so kind, gentle and brave! He wouldn't lie to me! He just wouldn't!"_ she kicked him in the side, sending him to again land crash in the ice. She flew just above him, as in fear. Tears were threatening to fall down.

_"Kara,"_ he begged she had seen reason.

_"Shut up! Your entire life is a lie!" _she punched him again making his body sink into the ice at least three feet._ "Your kind existed only to serve and you couldn't even do that. You are just mindless killing machines!" _Each word was accompanied by another fist fueled by rage. He could also sense her fear. She doubted. Finally, she pulled back and he sat up.

_"If I am the killer, why are you the one throwing all the punches?"_ he stood up again, and he wished his legs weren't shaking so much. He didn't have much time left. He was starting to become undone again.

_"I... I am doing the right thing… for my world and myself! Pl…please… don't force me to… just… just stay down! We will be gone in a few minutes and you two can forget about us. Your world will be fine, I swe-"_

_"You… you know those are lies better than me Kara, you were taught by one of the greatest minds in Krypton,"_ he told her reaching for her. He wasn't really that good at it, but he had to try to break the control H'El had over her.

_"Don't tell me what I think!" _she threw a punch that sent him to crash against an ice wall, _"I know H'El and me are… he wouldn't ask me to do… if it wasn't the only way to…Enough!" _she picked him up by his collar and sneered at him. "_You aren't even supposed to exist Kon El. A clone's life for those of an entire world is no choice at all. Just go and… and I won't have to…" _but tears were already running down her face. She had her fist ready to punch him.

_"I am not leaving Kara. This world is all I have and if I have to die to protect it, I will,"_ he understood her, but that didn't mean he would give in. Krypton was gone, but the Earth was still there. She greeted her teeth and prepared to hit him.

He couldn't really tell what happened. All he saw was a flash of color and then Kara crashing much like he had been doing lately.

"Go, Kon, I will take her on," Wonder Woman said standing between them.

"Please don't-" he knew it was stupid to get between Wonder Woman and a fight, but he didn't Kara to be hurt that bad.

"I make no promises!" Wonder Woman had said before she launched at Supergirl.

At that moment, his body chose to drown his mouth with his own blood. He couldn't believe there was still some of the stuff left.

"Hurry!" Wonder Woman shouted as she kept Kara from further attacking him.

He flew back to the Star Chamber. The time warping was getting worse. The Star Chamber was in its final countdown.

8888

**_ONE MORE TO GO!_**


	31. Chapter 31

Sorry for the delay. I moved and I have yet to hire internet service. I will be using my cellphone to try to upload the chapters that I have written so far. However, I want to advice since I can't access to the internet through my PC I can't use the Add-Up from 'Grammarly' to check my spelling. Once I have internet again I will revise them.

Becoming Superboy 31

She hadn't felt pain like that in a very long time. Her nose was bleeding and her skin felt bruised. Still, she felt better. Kon was flying away. She was glad she didn't have to face him and his accusatory eyes anymore. Instead, she would just have to deal with the Earth woman. She had heard this Wonder Woman but never met her until then. It was said she was a great warrior. The way she carried herself said so. Not that it would matter. She was stronger than any human that was or would ever be. She wiped the blood off her nose and flew to stand a little higher than her. The woman would have to be foolish to think she could defeat her.

"You cousin told me about you," Wonder Woman said continuing her steady pace towards her. She felt sweat on the back of her neck but ignored it, "you are brave after facing great tragedy, but you are allowing your emotions to blind you, deliver you to the hands and wills of that man. You have allowed him to place our world in danger. Here and now know that I don't resent you, but I will not permit it to go any further."

"I think you forgot who you are talking to. I am not one of the children you smother over" she clenched her fists and allowed her eyes to take a red tint. "And I won't let you keep me from saving my planet!" She launched at the woman ready to hurt her just enough to keep her from interfering. She didn't really want to hurt her.

_If I am the killer, why are you the one throwing all the punches?_

She cursed Kon. She hesitated because of him.

"Your world is already gone!" Wonder Woman's scream rang around them like thunder breaking through the skies; deafening and stunning. She evaded her punch at a speed she didn't know humans to possess except the Flash. Her eyes met hers; they were fearless, naked of fear and deceit. She believed what she was saying, but it didn't mean it was the truth.

Wonder Woman caught her wrist and twisted her arm so that their faces were inches from each other.

"Listen, Kara, it's not even done and this madness is already shaking out the world apart," Wonder Woman said in a whisper. For a moment, she stopped to listen and she heard the many calls for help, the restless seas, storms, and tectonic plates grinding against each other. But it was only for a moment.

"Why should I believe you!" she screamed at her. Earth was wrong. There was always someone asking for help. She freed her arm and chased after Kon. What was with Earthlings and thinking they were always on the right?

"I am sorry it has to be this way," she heard her say before something took hold of her ankle and then slammed her to the ground. She saw little red stars behind her eyes. When she sat up, she saw a golden rope had been the one responsible. "You think this outdated rope can stop me!" but she couldn't break it, so she tried to untie it but it seemed to tighten around her fingers.

"Have you learned nothing of your time on Earth? There are many wonders here as well," Wonder Woman said before the rope came undone and almost with a mind of its own went back to her.

The sight of her; unhurt, proud, strong made her see red hurt her pride. She would not make the mistake again. She tackled her, slamming her head to the ice. She would not go easy on her. She would fight and save her family. She landed a fist on the side of her mouth; blood flew out of it. She didn't scream or cringe. Her eyes never lost her from sight, a warrior to the core… she reminded her of Lara.

Her pause was all she needed. Wonder Woman bent her legs before kicking her with both feet on the gut and sending her flying off. She stopped in midair feeling like she would throw up. Wonder Woman flew to her level, her head held high. She kept her composure even though she had evidently hurt her. If she was to cross that line, she was sure Wonder Woman would die for her world with her head held high. The doubt Kon had planted started to sprout with the way this woman was looking at her. She was furious. She wanted to believe.

"They call you Wonder Woman, I thought you would be stronger than this!" she wanted to stay as far as possible from her. She shot her with her heat vision. The woman crossed her forearms in front of her chest instead of moving like she initially thought she would do. She was about to scream for her to move, but Wonder Woman kept steady. Her silver bracelets deflected the heated rays off, not even turning red.

"You are right not to understand for you have yet to reach your real potential. Real power is not about strength, but from learning of your adversary, knowing how they fight, from the first meeting." She didn't want to hear that from her! She threw a fist at her, but she basically moved to the side without effort evading it. She continued to speak as she kept observing her "you Kara, fight as a child does when they throw a tantrum; attacking without plan or strategy. Using more energy than necessary and tiring unnecessarily."

"You don't know anything about me!" she tried another punch but Wonder Woman only evaded her like an adult does a running child.

"I tried not to hurt you because Superboy asked me to, but time is running out. You have to understand that no life stands over another, even if they are Kryptonian," her words wrapped her like her rope around her neck and torso. When had she done that? "Please Kara, for your cousin who has no memory of another home. Be true to yourself."

"Let me go!" her arms were bounded by her sides, her knees bent into kneeling.

Wonder Woman kneeled before her until they were on the same level, "I don't know if my strength is anywhere near yours, but that doesn't matter today. What mattered today was experience. You still have a lot to grow Kara."

Why couldn't she free herself from this human rope? This wasn't supposed to happen. Kon would destroy the Star Chamber and all would be lost. She had to do something!

"This is a rope created by a god, not even Superman can break it. It's fruitless to try," Wonder Woman didn't even move, but he could feel the rope becoming tighter. It made her skin and mind tingle. She had heard of magic before, but this was her first time facing it. She didn't like it. "It also has the ability to make you tell the truth, or in your case face the reality. The lies you told yourself about H'El and his plan, that no danger would come to this world when trying to rescue your own. Don't fight it Kara. You know what the right thing to do is."

No, she didn't know! That was the problem! The tingling sensation of the rope became overwhelming in a few moments. She could feel it reaching into her heart and mind. It tore at the veils placed by H'El only because she was afraid.

888 years ago 888

"Dinner will get cold Kara, let's go inside," Mrs. Kent said walking up to the fence where she sat looking for her cousin's arrival.

"He is not coming again, is he?" it was the third time he didn't make it. She wasn't surprised anymore.

"The League keeps him busy, it can't be helped," Mrs. Kent said calmly though she too looked up at the sky.

"But he lets the clone go with him," she said bitterly. She had only met him once and already disliked him. He had called her words she still couldn't find in the dictionary (after she tried to lobotomize him.)

"Not as far as he has told me. Conner usually works alongside others his own age group," Mrs. Kent said ignoring her tone.

"Does he trust him more than me?" she turned to look at the old woman. Clark usually told her everything.

"It's more like he doesn't trust the two of you together. To be fair, he hasn't brought Conner around for us to meet," Mrs. Kent said with a soft laugh.

"I didn't know that. Maybe he doesn't want you to get hurt by him," she said with a smirk. Of course, Kal El wouldn't place his adoptive parents in danger.

"I doubt it. If Conner is anything like Clark, they are probably fretting too much about it," Mrs. Kent said, again with the calmness of a saint.

"It doesn't make you angry _he_ exists?" Kara asked her with a frown. How could she say something like that so calmly?

"We taught Clark all life deserved to be respected, no matter their origin," the older woman leaned on the fence and looked towards the sprouting fields.

"Clones are dangerous, imitations," she said under her breath.

"Kara," Mrs. Kent sighed.

"I wish you could have seen what they did, and then you would understand," she said knowing she was behaving like a child, but she really wished she could comprehend.

"I am not telling you to forget, but keep in mind Conner did not choose how he came to be," Mrs. Kent said though she didn't need to. They were the same words Kal El had told her after he sent the clone away after their first meeting. It wasn't like she didn't understand their meaning, but she just couldn't accept them.

"I am afraid of him," she admitted.

"Most are when we come across situations we don't understand, and all here is new to you," the woman said looking straight ahead.

"What am I going to do? Back on Krypton I had my whole life mapped in front of me," it was terrifying not to know.

"What did you want to do back in Krypton?" Mrs. Kent asked her.

"I… I was going to be member of the House of El, and contribute to our society-"

"Is that really what you wanted?" the woman asked her with a frown which matched her own.

"Of course!" she shouted before she realized what she did and looked down "I am sorry." Her mother had always told her she needed to watch her temper in public.

"If you were given the choice, what would you have wanted to do?" Mrs. Kent asked not losing her calmness.

She didn't know. All her life she had grown to know what her role would be.

"I understand Earth is sort of messy compared to Krypton and we could learn a lot from you, but something I hope never changes is youth," Mrs. Kent said after a long silence.

She gave her a curious look.

"Young people have the tendency to dream more than old people, and when they dream big enough they usually accomplish great things. Your cousin, he used to sit in that same spot and dream while looking up at the moon," Mrs. Kent said looking up at the moon.

"Dream?" She lost count of the times she had been reprimanded for letting her mind wonder back in Krypton. Here, she was being told the complete opposite. She looked at the moon again, this time not looking for Kal El but seeing that it was a moon, but not like the ones back in Krypton of coppery color. This moon was white as snow and much larger. Still, like the moons from Krypton, the light was borrowed from the sun. She allowed her mind to wonder and build something. She told Mrs. Kent what she wanted. She had expected her to reprimand her, but the woman instead encouraged her and gave her the tools to start. That night when she went to sleep she realized she hadn't stopped smiling for hours.

When she realized it tears started running down her face. She should be missing home more.

888

"STOP!" she launched at Wonder Woman though still tied and sent both of them crashing to the ice. "Stop!" she shouted again, but it was as if her energy was being drained. She begged Krypton to forgive her. She missed her home, but she also had grown to care for Earth. She just could sacrifice this world for theirs. Her scream shattered the cold air as she came to accept the truth. Her heart was fragmented into so many emotions; devotion, love, anger, loneliness, peace, regret, shame, desire, desperation, envy, happiness, humiliation, jealousy, hate, confusion, denial, hope, fears… and then there were dreams.

The ropes came undone; still she lay on the ice looking up at the sky. Though it was nighttime, the sun was visible as the Star Chamber tried to take all of its energy and snuff the life of not just Earth, but the whole galaxy.

"Get up," Wonder Woman asked before she did. "If you still have doubts in your heart, then see, Kara."

But she didn't need to see any further. The truth had been unearthed from her. She knew she had made a great mistake when she allowed herself to believe in H'El.

"This is my entire fault," she looked up at the sky and did her best to keep her tears at bay. She didn't want to further embarrass herself in front of Wonder Woman.

"_She lies!" _the next moment H'El appeared and hit Wonder Woman sending her far from her.

"_I no longer believe your lies. You are willing to let this world die,"_ she started flying back.

"_Kara, we don't have time…" _H'El caught her hand and started pulling her with him.

"_I won't hear it anymore! I know what you did to me," _she freed her hand and glared at him. The memories, the nightmares; they were all his doing_ "I remember the torture you put me through to think you were the only one… stop this now." _Her hands were shaking because she knew she was not strong enough to defeat him. H'El had been able to take on Kal El and Kon El and was yet to look even one bit tired.

"_I can't and I won't! This vessel will take us back home, there is no other way!" _H'El made to take hold of her again but pulled back the moment a sharp sword was placed in between.

"I will take care of him, Kara," Wonder Woman said glaring at H'El.

"This is my fault, I will deal with him," she said flying forwards. She would not let another person get hurt because of her.

"_I did this for you, for us,"_ H'El said softening his voice. She could feel a buzzing feeling on the back of her mind.

"_More lies!"_ he was trying to control her again,_ "you think because we are going back there won't be consequences for this world? That is not the way of our people. We don't sacrifice others!"_

"_Don't do this to us. Kara, I know you have grown to care for this primitive world, but you have to realize the best choice for you and the universe is Krypton. We were the brightest-"_

"_Krypton's time ended. You can't decide which world is worthy primarily because Earth has not reached its full potential. It… it might be even greater than Krypton one day,"_ she watched as his mask with each one of her words. She honestly believed Earth boundless potential.

"_You shame your family Kara, and you shame my feeling for you. These inferior beings don't deserve-"_ H'El said looking down on them. He lifted his arms before blocks of ice lifted into the air. Whatever he said after, she didn't hear. She and Wonder Woman were too busy dodging the ice.

"_You don't get to just come here and observe from above without actually knowing them and get to make those types of decisions!"_ She bet he had never even bothered to try to talk to them. To hear what they wanted or dreamed.

She heard a tremendous crash and realized H'El had not been targeting them, but Kon instead who was still trying to take the Star Chamber apart. She turned and saw Wonder Woman had taken care of it.

"Kara! Wonder Woman! That one was too close!" Kon shouted with his back to the and his hands on the ship.

"Leave this to us!" Wonder Woman had screamed before they launched a frontal attack.

888

He heard Kara scream as she fought alongside Wonder Woman. The fact that she was back helped him believe that they would actually make it. He could feel he was so close now. If he tore the Star Chamber, it would no longer be able to- he stopped but it was too late. The Star Chamber fell apart only to reveal a ship he had never seen before. H'El had somehow shielded it from his sense. The Star Chamber was gone, the ship remained and it could still make use of the energy. It's path was aligned with that of the energy being stolen.

"_Be gone! You are an eyesore for me!"_ he heard H'El shout before hearing the gasps from the two women.

"_Bastard! You used me!"_ he rushed to the outer controls of the ship. They were incomprehensible to him.

"_One can always count on the destructive tendencies of a clone. As the last of your kind, know that at least you could do something right,"_ H'El said flying towards him.

"_Don't you ever get tired of lying?"_ he said wondering if his body would be able to stand one last round. Well, at least he could make fun of him. He saw the fear and then the rage in H'El's face. He was trying to hold back his fury, but he bet the way he was smirking at him made him lose it even more.

"_I am the only real survivor of Krypton! I embody their will and strength! I represent their faith that someday one of their brightest would-"_ he started shouting.

"_Let the souls of Krypton rest! No one is listening to you anymore!" _next thing he saw was Superman wearing his armor tackle H'El. He lifted his fist,_ "this ends now!"_

The whole Northern Hemisphere felt the aftershocks of that mighty punch. He had never seen or heard Superman use that much of his strength. Was what Luthor said right? Was Kal El afraid to use his full power?

"Superboy, you need to hurry," Wonder Woman said reaching him and standing guard at his back in case H'El tried to hurt him.

"It's not as easy as it looks!" he went back to the ship. The controls were too advanced for him. "Where is Supergirl! I could use her help in the controls!"

"I… don't know…" Wonder Woman said with a tone he had never heard her use before. It was laced with fear. His throat went dry and he tried to pour the rest of his energy into stopping the ship.

"Ahh!" he turned his head but it was too late. Superman had been punched with as much force he had dealt previously and sent crashing into them, knocking them off the platform and away from the ship. The three of them stood to continue the fight, but they found themselves bonded to the ground by H'El's power.

"No…" it was weak, but he heard Kara. She was a few feet away trying to get up but seemed to be drained out of energy. Then he spotted the culprit. He attempted to help her, but he was running on empty. But then she saw her reach for it and begged Rao or whatever God listened to clones that she had a plan which involved all of them getting out alive.

888

It was her fault. All the lives lost that day were on her. It was all because she blinded herself. Hope was their crest, but there was such a thing as misguided hope. Sometimes, you just had to admit things were gone, but new ones would come along. That's what Rao had taught them. No matter how many ends came, there was always another beginning. Trying to force the past into life, it was not right because at the end it would end again, but this time meaningless. She had known this truth all her life but chose to ignore it even when it stared straight at her in the face.

Her whole body ached as she finally pulled herself up with her bundle in arms. She begged her body to hold on until she was done.

She had heard more than saw Kal El fall from one mighty hit. Kon was still trying to stop it, but he was weakened. H'El was so close to launching his ship and took no pause to tell them again he was on the right. That sacrificing one Earth, or a hundred Earths would still be correct just to bring Krypton back. He had finally let the lies fall away. This gave her further courage.

"_Humans all think they are so damned special! They are not! The only worthy thing to come from this world will be its sacrifice for Krypton," _H'El said standing on top of his ship, aligning everything to perfection.

"_H'El, please wait for me. I realize I was in the wrong. Please… please take me with you,"_ she begged him as she tried to fly towards him, but failing miserably.

"_Kara!" _she heard Kal El shout her name and saw the fear in his eyes.

"_Don't interfere!" _H'El had cried before he used his powers to bring her towards him_ "I knew you would see reason my deal Lady Kara, come to me."_

"_Don't do it Kara! He isn't worth it!" _Kon El shouted.

"She is braver than I gave her credit for,"she heard Wonder Woman say. It filled her with pride.

"_Kara! We can still do it together! You don't have to-"_ Kal El said as the fear became more prominent in his eyes. So, they all had seen through her plan. She just hoped H'El hadn't.

"_But I do,"_ she whispered trying to give her sweetest smile to H'El.

"_What's wrong Kara? You look sick. I will take care of you"_ he said bringing her to his arms. He was so cold.

"_And I will take care of you…" _she said before she stabbed him with the shard of Kryptonite they had moved from the trophy room. H'El had relocated it using his powers, which meant he was also affected by it.

"_Why? Don't you-" _H'El looked at her with wide eyes.

"_You haven't been fighting with your full strength because you have been moving everything with your powers. Now, all of that will fall apart and this world will continue on living,"_ as she said so, the ship started to fall. The temporal warp holes were beginning to collapse. The control panel, which he had been managing from afar fell apart to all the abuse it had received from Wonder Woman and Superboy.

"_And Krypton dead, how could you have betrayed your own?" _he said keeping hold of her forearms.

"_I will not betray their memory,"_ she would not spill the blood of innocent for them.

"_You… you…" _H'El tried to pull the shard out, but she was using her bare hands to keep it there. Finally, he slumped against her.

"Did she kill him?"she heard Kon ask though he didn't sound one bit sorry.

"No, he is just wounded which means he will be desperate,"Wonder Woman said.

"Kara! Stand back!" finally, the hold H'El had over them fell away and Kal El rushed towards them.

"_It's not too la…" _H'El whispered in her ear.

"_Rao forgive me,"_ she knew it wasn't too late, but she had made her decision. She pushed H'El back as the thunderous clouds filled with time warps started to collapse and pull everything close to them.

"_We would have saved our people,"_ he said as he was being pulled back.

"_I know,"_ she said before she felt strong arms take hold of her.

"_Hold on!"_ Kal El shouted as he pulled her back from the pull of the time warps. She didn't see into which one H'El got pulled into, not that it mattered. Without the shield of the ship, he would be crushed by the energies of time.

They landed at the entrance of the fortress. Kal El held her close to his chest.

"Kara!" Kon was by their side soon after. She wanted to tell him not to look so worried about her, but to take care of himself. He looked as if he had been put through a shredder. She knew a good part of it was her fault.

"Prepare the medical room," Kal El told Kon about to take her into the fortress.

"It's no use. That Kryptonite was the filter for the ship's energy. It was-" it was many times stronger than ordinary Kryptonite. They had to know that. Her skin had taken a sickish green look. Even as they stood close to her, they had to feel its energy was poisoning her cells.

"Just shut up and let us help-" Superboy started to shout before he collapsed back.

"Kon!" Kal El looked so torn. She wanted to tell him to put her down and take care of him.

Wonder Woman had caught him and checked his pulse, "he is still breathing."

"Put this on him," Kal El pulled the crest from his chest and handed it to Wonder Woman. She didn't get to see it. Next thing she knew they were flying above the clouds and into space. "We only have one opportunity, Kara. You have to try to hold on, you understand?"

"I did the right thing, right?" she asked him listening for Kon's heartbeat.

"You saved us, Kara," Kal El told her with a proud smile.

"You are my little cousin, I had to…" the world faded into darkness and for a while she thought she had died.

She remembered the warm feeling of the sun close to her skin. Kal El held her in his arms the whole while. She didn't know how long she was there, it felt like days. Later she would find it was just one. It always amazed her of what her body could do. She didn't deserve these gifts. She didn't deserve to be in that warm bed with Kal El watching over her. He told her she would be moving with them. He didn't want her living on her own. She didn't try to contradict him. She didn't have the strength to or feel the right to say it. Through her life, she had made mistakes, but this one had been the greatest of all. After the announcement, Kal El tried to get her to talk about the few ordinary things of her life. It was torture. This was one of the things she preferred of Earth over Krypton and the wound of her betrayal felt even deeper.

Kon El took Kal El's place sometimes, but he didn't say much. Instead, he brought her book after book and would stay quiet reading. She wasn't sure if he knew she just didn't want to talk, but was nonetheless thankful. There were things that needed to be said, but Kon wasn't pushing her. At times, she picked at him. He was wearing Superman's armor. He looked very uncomfortable pulling on the collar or sleeves sometimes. She listened to his heartbeat and heard it was okay.

On the last day of her stay in the Watch Tower's medical bay, he came in wearing his usual black and red suit. He seemed a little pale, but she took it was a good sign when he resumed with the routine of sitting and reading.

"What is your favorite book?" she asked him as the time to go _home_ neared.

"I don't have one," he said as he kept reading his book.

"But you must," she said with a frown. Would it be The Bones of Time? Or maybe, The Cloning of Joanna May? Or maybe The Klone and I? All books she had read to understand human's point of view on cloning.

He gave her a curious look before looking at the book in his hands, "yesterday my favorite book was One Hundred Years of Solitude." Was he trying to tell her something? "Today, this is my favorite book," he showed her a book by the name of Great Expectations. "They are very different from each other, but they are both great books."

"What is it about?" she asked him.

"It's complicated," he said with a small smile. "It is the story of the life of a low-class orphaned boy who seeks to become of high class to gain the favor of a woman he met when they were children. He comes across many mysteries and challenges in the way," he looked at the book fondly.

"So, does he?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"I will let you find out on you own," he said with a bigger smile before placing the book on her bed and then getting up. "I will wait for you outside."

It was time to go and face the world again. She wished Kal El would have allowed her to rest in the Fortress but the League had insisted on her staying at the Watch Tower. They probably didn't trust her anymore, and the only reason why they didn't lock her up was because of Kal. She sat on the bed and went through the backpack Kon had brought her with clothes. Her body felt stiff as she dressed. Though she was no longer in danger, she knew everything would continue to hurt for a while. Her chest ached just thinking of leaving that room and facing everyone. Kal and Kon had been looking after her, but she had heard many standing outside, tempted to enter her room.

"Back off La'gaan," she heard Kon on the other side of the door.

"Not until I give her a piece of my mind," she heard Lagoon Boy. He sounded furious, just like she imagined the rest of them would feel.

"You are stepping out of bounds," Kon said.

"I am steppi- you are no longer part of the Team! What the hell are you doing here?!" La'gaan shouted which made her ears hurt.

"Making sure you don't bother her. She is still healing," Kon said starting to sound tired. She wondered if this wasn't the first time he stood between them and her.

"You know who else is still healing? M'gann! Billy! And the people we rescued when she helped that bastard with that damn machine! So get off your damn high horse and-"

She heard La'gaan gasp. She used her x-ray vision to see Kon had La'gaan pinned to the wall. She placed a hand on the door and kept telling herself to open it. No one else could get hurt because of her.

"I won't ask you again, leave," Kon said tightly to La'gaan.

"Why you?!" then the Atlantean's body puffed, pushing Kon back.

"La'gaan, that's enough," everything seemed to stop when Miss Martian arrived. She was thankful to see she looked okay. "I need to have a word with Kara."

888

He wasn't sure what M'gann had told Kara, but she seemed a little better when they came back. He made sure to take her through where they wouldn't meet with anyone else in the Watch Tower until they reached the Zeta Beams. La'gaan was an idiot though he did have the right to be angry. Still, it wouldn't fix anything when he talked to Kara like that. When they emerged back on Metropolis, the sun was starting to rise. It was Saturday morning, and though he had no classes, he still had plenty to do.

"Let's get you some breakfast," they had been so busy that week that they had been living on takeout food. He had to get her something better than that.

"You don't have to do that," Kara said stopping, "I don't-" but he wouldn't let her have her pity party.

"I am hungry, and I can't leave you on your own, better?" he told her in a flat tone.

She merely nodded before following him to the Bagel Palace. He ordered for her since she seemed to have trouble picking from the fifty different types of bagels. He loved the place.

"Conner! Over here!" and the peace was gone. He saw Cat Grant accompanied by Lori a few boots away.

"Just follow my lead," he told Kara when Cat wouldn't stop waving her arm for them to join them.

"Oh my gosh, I haven't had the chance to thank you too for bringing this little project to ClarkCatropolis. And this is?" Cat launched her attack the moment they sat.

"Kara, this is Cat Grant, who works with Clark, and Lori; my friends and partner in our journalism class. This is Kara, Clark, and my cousin," he noticed Lori only gave a small hello as she read over some pages. She hadn't touched her food.

"I heard about you. I thought Clark was making you up. You know you could probably be a model. I know a few-" Cat went on rambling as she brought out a small box with cards and handed a few to a very confused Kara.

Thankfully, the Bagel Palace worked fast and brought their orders in a few minutes. He did his best to bring Cat's attention to him. Kara didn't seem to have much appetite and it would be some time before they left the place.

"Lois sent me pictures of the place you guys will be using for the interview after you asked her for a few changes. I have to say, Conner, you know your way around a studio set. She even sent me the music you guys would be using," Cat used her phone to show him the pictures. It actually looked better than he had thought it would look.

"I took a short course on lights and framing. Lori picked the music," he said glad at least something was going according to plan.

"You two make a great team. I am sure that if you stick together you might even get to be as good as Clark and me, maybe," she added the maybe with a mischievous smile.

"Thank you Cat," he said as he glanced at Lori, who was still looking over the pages with a worried and sickish look.

"No problem, well it was a pleasure to meet you, Kara," Cat said getting up before shaking Kara's hand, "please think what I told you. I have to run kids. See you around." And she literally ran from the establishment on her high heels.

"So, what is that?" he asked Lori. He couldn't remember ever seeing her so worried.

"Oh… oh! These are questions the readers of ClarkCatropolis would like us to ask the Titans," she said as she placed the pages down. He had to guess there were at least fifty of them.

"Is that why you look like you are going to be sick?" he said reaching for them.

"Some are just wrong," Lori said shaking her head, and then she looked at her food and pushed it away.

"They can't be as bad as the ones the readers of the Daily Planet sent… never mind, they are worse. What were people on when they wrote this?" it was a miracle his heat vision didn't kick off on its own and got rid of the offending material.

"I think now I understand why you said they wanted to meet to see what could and couldn't be asked. People just want to know too much," Lori said with a short laugh.

"By Rao!" he saw Kara actually shield her eyes when she picked at the pages.

"Don't read that!" he turned the offensive material down so no one else would be mentally scarred by it.

"That's just wrong…" Kara said with wide eyes.

"Not hungry anymore?" he said pulling her bagel towards him.

"Not one bit," she said a bit more awake than before.

"I wonder if they will back out of the deal if we show it to them," Lori asked taking the page from the back. She cringed, and then turned red before giving it to him.

"We better cross out the vulgar ones first," why would they want to know if their private anatomy were any different than those of regular humans? He wished at least they had chosen better wording to make it seem like curiosity instead of depravity. He was starting to think he liked it better when people were scared of them rather than curious. Some peoples' imaginations just went to places they shouldn't.

"You haven't told me where we are going to meet," Lori said handing him a black marker. Of course, he would be the one to go through that torture.

"Because they haven't told me," then he noticed Kara's curious look, "we are meeting with the Titans to go over boundaries regarding the interview."

"Oh," Kara said with a frown. She was wondering how that was going to work with him also being Superboy.

"Would you like to come?" Lori asked her with an excited smile.

"What?" he asked looking at them.

"The more the merrier, you know?" Lori said with her pearly white smile.

"I don't think it would apply in this case, but I guess we could try," the more Lori pulled Kara in, the better she looked. She needed something to get her mind off the past few days.

"You don't have to," Kara started looking worried.

"But I do. I am not letting you spend the weekend locked at home eating ice cream," he said as he went down the list of questions. No, they weren't going to any birthday parties, no matter how much they paid.

"I… I wasn't going to do that," Kara said looking away.

"Let me guess, pie?" Kara gasped. Everyone had their poison. His were bagels.

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend, even your cousin seems to be scared of you," Lori said giving him a playful push. "Besides, there is nothing wrong with drowning your sorrow with some pie or a gallon of ice cream. Or better yet, both," she said before she was actually able to get a smile out of Kara.

"Unless you want to go into diabetic shock," he retorted.

"How can you stand be related to this guy?" Lori said pointing a finger at him.

"You get used to it," Kara said in between small burst of laughter.

"Very funny, now let me get through this," he said picking the rest of the papers and going over the questions. No, the Super was not to compensate for something else. Did people have such horrible memories?

"Did you just move to Metropolis?" he heard Lori ask Kara before they started talking.

He listened to bits here and there as he went over the fifty pages of questions. There were a few diamonds among all of them. He and Lori had already agreed on some queries of their own. However, at the insistence of both ClarkCatropolis and The Daily Planet they would add some questions from their readers though they had the right to choose which ones.

"Please bring us some pie," Lori said as she and Kara started to laugh. He ordered another bagel which only made them laugh more. He hated having to stop their fun, but the hour was approaching for them to meet with the rest of the Titans.

"Is it really okay for me to come along?" Kara asked as they walked out of the restaurant.

"Lori is the type of person you don't contradict," he said keeping an eye on the Luthor walking ahead of them. "And I was serious about not letting you go home to eat your heart out," he knew Clark had in mind to spoil Kara for a while. He wouldn't be surprised if by the time they got home they found some pies in the fridge.

"I don't need your pity," she glared at him. Now, that was the Kara he remembered.

"It's not pity," he said keeping his eyes ahead, not letting any expression slip.

"Then what is it?" she asked sharply.

"Don't know. I still don't like you if that's what you are thinking. Maybe I am just doing this to annoy you," it was hard keeping a straight face through the whole thing.

"By presenting me to who is probably the nicest of your friends?" she asked him motioning to Lori ahead of them.

"I wouldn't say nice as much as pushy. Believe me, after a few more chats with her she is going to get smug and she will start showing her true colors," he didn't bother to keep his voice down. He knew Lori tried really hard to get close to people, but after a while she tended to overdo it.

"At least I am interesting," she called back to them with a laugh.

"Oh, did I forget to mention she is also meddling," he said finally breaking a smile.

"An excellent feature for any future star reporter," Lori said raised her fist in the air. People stared at them, but she didn't even flinch.

"Next time she is going to try to get your life story," he warned Kara, a real warning. She gave a slight nod.

"Afraid I will find you are the most boring of the Kents?" because he told her the most boring background story. His parents supposedly moved to Europe, he didn't want to go with them, so they shipped him off with Clark. He was an A straight student, never got into fights, and had a passion for the truth. She didn't say it back then, but she had clearly been disappointed. With all the strange things going on their world someone with an ordinary life was simply put, boring. He wondered if Kara would be able to top his story.

"Not everything is about the story," he said just before his phone rang. Not his usual phone, but the one for the Titans. He answered and listened to Kid Flash explain what would happen. After hanging up, he led Kara and Lori to a small alley.

"You know this is the sort of place where you get mugged, right?" Lori said looking around and holding her purse close to her.

"Wait," he said with a frown. The next instant Lori was gone and then Kid Flash returned.

"What is going on?" Kara asked looking from one to another.

"Hey there," Bart said to Kara with a smile, "are you coming too?"

"She is," he said before Kara had a chance to answer. The next moment Bart had her on his arms.

"It will be just a sec," he told her and then he was gone. The next second he returned with a red print on his face, "I am not carrying you."

"What happened to Red?" he said before they started running towards the warehouse nearby.

"No time to explain, we are in a schedule. We are going to need you in San Francisco after this," Kid Flash said picking at a list on his hand.

"What about the meeting?" he asked feeling something else was going on.

"Pushed to later, hurry," Kid said before getting ahead of him.

Bart was waiting for him by a side door in the warehouse. He opened the door which led to an ample space with a few chairs. On two of the chairs Lori and Kara sat. Standing in front of them was Blue with arms crossed. He was not happy Kara was there. They had talked about what happened with Kara and H'El and though Blue claimed he had no ill will towards her, he knew he wasn't comfortable with her so close to him.

"Where are the rest?" Lori asked.

"I already told you they are busy," Blue said with a sigh, "can we get this over with?"

"Just a sec _amigo_, we have to properly introduce ourselves," Kid Flash said with a bow, "especially with such beautiful ladies before us."

"Superboy should be the one doing this, it's his city," Blue said giving him a nervous look. They were playing with fire, but for some reason he found it exhilarating.

"You know he is shy," Kid Flash said with a smirk.

"Heh," he couldn't help laughing. Those two would be the death of him.

"My name is Kid Flash. Well, is not my real name. Could you imagine someone actually calling their son Kid Flash?"

"Or daughter," Blue said with a shrug.

"But you know how this goes, and my handsome friend here, even though you can't tell with the armor, is Blue Beetle," Kid Flash finished.

"_Mucho gusto,"_ Blue said with a nod.

"My name is Lori," Lori said lifting her hand and waving weakly.

"Kara," she said crossing her arms, clearly uncomfortable.

"Conner," he said with a nod towards them.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road. So we thought it would be a good idea for the world to know more since people haven't heard much about us," Kid Flash said.

"Not our choice," Blue said.

"But there are things we are going to ask you not ask," Kid Flash said dropping the smile. Ten tons of tension fell around them. Even he who stood with a foot on each side felt it. He, Kara and Kal had no family left on Earth, so it was not as big of a worry to them, but these two and Tim were a whole different story.

"We will try to answer as many of your questions as we can, but there are some which are not acceptable," Blue said also dropping any sign of friendliness.

"What do you have to hide?" he could sense Lori's fear, but she hid it well. She stared at Blue directly in the eye unflinching.

"Not something, but admittedly someones" Kid Flash said.

"The masks are not for us, but for our families and friends. There can be no hint as to who we or they are. The moment any of them become endangered we will leave. No warnings will be given. No other attempts to do this will be done" and the way Blue looked at him, it said the warning was for him too.

"There's a reason why the League has a spoke person," Kid Flash said pulling one of the chairs to sit and lean back. His posture said to relax, but his eyes kept them on guard.

"But we want to do things differently from the League," Blue said. He was already guiding part of the interview just like he had asked them. He wanted the interview to be not so much about their personal selves but about what they would be doing.

"Why?" he asked playing his part, "aren't you working with the League?"

"That question can wait for the actual interview," Kid Flash said waving his hand dismissively.

"That's it? You don't want us to ask anything about your friends or families?" Lori asked them with a frown. The whole week she had been telling him her theories of what she thought they would demand. It had gone from movie deals, politics, religion, and too far off topics that he and probably the rest had never thought about.

"What else could we ask?" Blue asked almost endearingly. He saw Lori open her mouth to try to say something, but the words just wouldn't come.

"This is a list of questions from followers of the Daily Planet and ClarkCatropolis. You tell me," he had been carrying the list of queries Lois gave him that week and handed them along with the ones from ClarkCatropolis.

"Kid," Blue handed them to the speedster who started sorting through them with a red marker.

"Got it; no, no, no yes, yes, no, yes, no, yes, no, maybe, no, no, yeah, yeah, no, yes. What do you think about this one?" he asked stopping and showing the question to Blue.

"Why would anyone care to know that?" Blue asked before looking at them.

"Which one?" he asked before they showed him the page.

"Are you seeing someone?" he didn't think it was a bad question. Compared to the ones they had crossed out entirely with a black marker, it was actually okay.

"No, what about you?" Blue said.

"Remember that girl I told you guys about," Kid Flash said with a smile.

"Cool, what about Red Robin?" Blue asked rubbing his chin, "after he broke up with you-know-who I haven't seen him with anyone."

"Even if he is, he will probably say no," Kid said before he started moving on with the rest of the questions.

"Superboy?" Blue asked.

"You know what a stick in the mud he is," Kid Flash said with a smirk.

"True, true," Blue said with a short laugh. Kara and Lori snickered too for their own reasons. He would get them back for that one.

"Hobbies?" Kid Flash asked.

"Yeah, like what do you guys like to do with your free time?" Lori jumped in. That was actually one of the questions they had talked about using. He didn't get what their hobbies had to do with anything, but it seemed more than one person asked it.

"What is this free time you are talking about?" Kid Flash said not crossing the questions but moving on, "we live to do this stuff, you know? It is not like we like to go out bowling every other Friday, which reminds me. I want Red Robin on my team next time."

"He cheats, I don't know how he does it, but he cheats," Blue said barely able to hold his laugh back.

"You and Suppey haven't been able to prove anything, and why do you complain? You always team up with him," Kid Flash said finishing with the questions and handing them to them, "just kidding, but we have some odd hobbies so you better be ready."

"Are you sure Superboy and Red Robin will agree with these questions?" Lori asked going over the pages. He noted some of the questions had small notes on them like 'Don't ask about previous girlfriends. It's a sore subject for most of us, except me because I am awesome.' Then there was also 'You can ask about our spiritual beliefs, but I would recommend you not to because we all have different views and it would take too much time to explain all of them. Especially the Kryptonian.'

"I also copied them, so I will ask them and get back to you if we need to change anything," Kid Flash said showing them the handwritten pages.

"We will continue to stay in contact by the same means," Blue said as his wings opened.

"See ya," Kid Flash said before disappearing and then Blue Beetle flew out one of the warehouse windows.

"So, that just happened," Lori said as she kept looking through the questions and the notes Kid Flash made, "what's this?"

He picked in to see a doodle on the back of one of the pages. It had him, Blue, and Red Robin drawn on a corner which was labeled the 'Loner Corner' and Kid Flash and Solstice on another labeled 'The Happy Corner.'

"I am guessing that's the girl he was talking about," he had seen the news report the night before about their new member.

"I am so keeping this," Lori said with a smile, "might be worth something in the future."

"They are sort of odd," Kara told him. He thoughts so too, but somehow they usually got him to laugh.

"I think they are just good friends and funny too," Lori said putting the rest of the pages away.

"I bet they wouldn't have said half of that stuff if Superboy had been here," Kara said as they started walking towards the exit.

"Right," he laughed sure that if he had been there as Superboy they would have thrown even more low blows.

888

When he opened the door of their new department, he wished he could just go and lie down but that already endless week seemed to stretch even further before him. Kid Flash had finally called him back and told him Red Robin was exhausted so they were looking after everything else that needed to be taken care of. Kid Flash was gathering all of their new members, plus talking to a few others. Blue Beetle was working on the underwater caverns of what they hoped would become their base. He had the task to talk to the governor of San Francisco and convince him to allow them to place their base near their city.

"I want to join the Titans," Kara said the moment he closed the door.

"What?" he asked feeling flabbergasted for the umpteenth time that day.

"Miss Martian asked me to join the Team after things cooled down, but Blue Beetle and Kid Flash didn't… well, you know?"

Blue had eventually relaxed around her and Kid Flash didn't even show a hint of worry.

"Not that I am saying no but is that the only reason why? You don't even know why we are doing this," having someone with her abilities would be great, but he needed to make sure.

"It can't be so bad if you are doing it, right?" she said offering him a nervous smile.

"Has another alien parasite taken over you?" he said giving her a curious look.

"I am serious!" she shouted before turning her back on him.

"I know, I am sorry," he said with a short laugh. "We did have planned to ask you, but sincerely I thought you would say no. I never imagined you would actually ask us to join," he scratched the back of his head, and he thought when they were at each other's necks was awkward. He just couldn't get used to a nice Kara.

"Oh," she said wide-eyed. Actually, Red Robin had asked him to take care of it and he had planned to do it the same morning H'El attacked.

"You couldn't have picked a better time. We are actually all meeting in San Francisco with the rest of the new members. So you don't have to worry about standing out," he said as he started to take off his civilian clothing only leaving his black and red suit.

"Right, because being related to Superman never does that," she said before going to her new room to change.

He suppressed a sigh and sat on the couch for a few minutes while he waited for her. Things were about to get messy, he could just tell.


	32. Chapter 32

Becoming Superboy 32

His week had been Hell, no pun intended. After almost being ripped apart genetic strand by genetic strand, he was glad it was almost over. The past few days he was reminded again of the balance Kal El had warned him about when living a more active life among civilians. They didn't have things as easy as they made it seem, though neither did they. It didn't help that the past days he had to wear the Kryptonian armor, which he didn't care was a heirloom, it itched but not in the normal sense. His T.K. actually itched as it tried to fight its way out of it. That, plus he was still healing. He had seen his teammates get injuries that required rest and attention, but this was a first for him. Usually in a few hours he was like new. Now, when he showed up to class, or when he showed his face around people would stare. He hated it, never said it, but he hoped they got the message when he glared at them. With the bruises on his face, they were fast to turn away.

"Well, don't you look handsome," Lois had said when she saw him check the studio they would use.

"You too Ms. Lane," he said to her before she gave him a punch on the arm.

"What does Clark feed you?" she said shaking her hand.

He knew she didn't remember ever finding out about their other identities. After a long talk with Clark, he admitted not remembering a lot of things which Kon did. It seemed Clark remembered a straining relation between him and Lois growing but never changing into something else. He didn't give him all the details, but he could tell it was frustrating to have her and then lose her again without even realizing until later.

"I still don't know how you convinced them to give you an interview. We are not getting the League dropping in the middle of things, are we? That would just make things better," Lois said as they worked in some of the questions for his individual article and things he should check.

"Like Clark says, a good reporter never reveals his sources," he told her as he wrote down the address of a safe home for runaway kids.

"I taught him that, you know?" Lois said with a smile.

"You should tell him next time you see him," he said before her smile faltered, "that bad?"

"He didn't tell you?" she asked him.

"He is a very private person, has always been," he told her as he gathered his things.

"I can't help to feel he is hiding something," she said with a sigh, "if he was honest, maybe we could be like real friends again."

But Clark didn't want to just be friends with her, but he didn't say it. That was something they would have to work on their own. Meanwhile, he would keep Lois Lane out of the investigation she had been helping him with regarding Dr. Spencer and N.O.W.H.E.R.E. It wasn't just because Clark asked him to, but because they had gotten to her without him realizing, and he worried what they might try next time. He had yet to check with Tim, but he knew there was a big chance they had also gotten to him. He also considered leaving him out of it if that was the case.

That night, as he felt the bits and pieces of himself continue to heal he examined the sphere with the memory carrying his recording might not be safe at home anymore. He thought about taking it to the Fortress, but after H'El's breach it didn't feel right. After a while he realized he knew the right person and flew straight to El Paso hoping Blue still hadn't left for San Francisco. After entrusting his friend, or better say his scarab which couldn't be accessed by mind-altering abilities as corroborated by M'gann he felt safer. Whoever had messed with his mind last time would need to do a lot better than to wait for him to be weakened.

"What happened to you!" meeting with Lori always helped him feel normal, somewhat. She fretted over him as a friend would before carrying on. "Do you remember the guy I met a few weeks ago at that club? Well, he finally called me and we are going out this Friday. Do you have any plans? I could call a friend and make it a double date."

"I will pass this time," he was sure any girl who saw him as he was at the time would turn tail and never look back.

Seeing Lori always reminded him of one bit of good news. He didn't carry Luthor's DNA, which meant the asshole had no claim over him. Still, it was saddening he couldn't think of Lori as a cousin anymore.

Talking about cousins, he spent a few hours with Kara as she healed back in the Watchtower whenever Kal El stepped out. Kal El didn't want her alone at any moment if possible. He got that he was worried Kara might do something stupid because of the mistake she made, but he didn't think she would do something too stupid, maybe just run away and hide for a while. However, he was worried how others might treat her if they weren't there to defend her. In her current position, he doubted she would speak up for herself. He had already talked down some of the members of the Team. He hadn't realized it until then, but she just like Kal El was the kind to punish themselves more than anyone else. However pleasant it was to have some quiet while he stayed with her, it always felt strange. He started bringing her books when he realized she only stared emptily at space, probably remembering her greatest moment of weakness and admonishing herself.

He knew it might not happen, but he hoped she would find the solace he did in books. CADMUS had put a lot of information in his mind, to the point where most facts didn't surprise him. However, they failed to put in or influence his take on the classics and the not so classics. It was as if the years and experiences he was denied in his creation were gained back a hundred times over.

When she was finally okay to leave the Watchtower, it was early Saturday morning. Though not without some issues, when they were free they got caught in a whole new web with the interview and the boundaries their team wanted. As he prepared to fly to San Francisco as Bart asked him to talk to the governor, he met with another interesting revelation.

"I want to join the Titans," Kara had said, and he couldn't say no because they actually wanted her with them.

Not that he didn't trust her, well he didn't fully but he was within good reason. At the end of things, it was thanks to her that they defeated H'El, but he couldn't forget the rage with which she spoke and hurt him. If she got angry enough, she could hurt someone. If she was joining, he thought, they had to work on her temper and that coming from him was something.

As they flew towards San Francisco, he took the opportunity to stretch his senses. The Kryptonian armor had come out the night before, and though he was not back to his full strength, he felt more like himself. He expanded his senses for miles and took in the feeling of life moving around him. As morning snuck into every cranny he could sense it stirring; life taking place. It could be child waking up, the beast pushing its young into awakening, a blade of grass seeking the light of the sun, and so much more.

"Can't you fly faster?" Kara said snapping him out of his wandering mind.

"We still have time," he told her noting she was anxious; "you won't get to meet the rest of the team until later. There are other things need to get done."

"And what am I supposed to do in the meanwhile?"

He shrugged, "whatever you like."

She opened her mouth to snap at him, but just as fast closed it. He wasn't sure what had changed her mind, but she seemed thoughtful. It was strange to talk to her without debating, fighting or straining the lines of civility. He hoped she didn't act like this all the time. Actually, debating with her was much more fun than making fun of her which he had fun recently was easy for him to do. He got easily on her nerves, but she barely retaliated due to her almost beating him to death (okay, maybe she had a good reason.)

"Why did you choose to become a reporter?" she asked him out of nowhere.

"Huh?" he looked at her solemn face. Whatever was her reason for asking seemed important to her, "To put in a few words; because I like it. I like what real reporting stands for and I think is something that is needed."

"Because you like it…" she tried the words before he understood why she was asking.

"You are happy with what you choose, right?" he asked her. He knew back in Krypton she didn't have any choice about what she would do with her life, but here the options were endless.

"Yeah, but what if I wanted to do something less productive?" it was always about having a purpose, especially for Kryptonians.

"As long as it not a criminal activity, I think everything is productive," he told her before thinking a bit more about it, "you can pick a less active civilian life, but even then you would still be Supergirl."

She seemed to think about it before the weariness she had been emanating before dispersed into a slight sense of security.

"Thought," he said thinking of his own circumstances, "I find that if is something you enjoy, it really shouldn't matter how 'productive' it is. There are few people who can actually live doing what they like, but the objective _here_ is to be happy."

She caught on to what he was saying before she looked at the endless road ahead of them. They were among the most powerful beings in that world, but what did any of that matter if they weren't happy with their lives. At that point, they were doing what felt right for them and though the feeling might change over time they had to remember that yes, there was the world to protect, but they also had lives to live.

San Francisco finally came into view along with who he hoped was an ally. He had yet to meet this Green Lantern floating and waiting for them. Kyle looked taken back for a moment when he saw Supergirl but quickly took the expression most young men did when meeting the beautiful Kryptonian. He wasn't sure if it was because he shared Kal El's DNA, but he didn't find Kara that alluring. Or, it might be related to her almost lobotomizing him the first time they met. Kyle looked like a love-stricken puppy for the first few seconds until he cleared his throat.

"Nice to meet you, I am Kyle," he said with an awkward smile.

"Kon," he said with a nod of his head. He didn't think the League had sent Kyle to talk them out. If that was the case, they would be facing Wonder Woman.

"Kara," Supergirl said returning the smile.

"So, I heard from Blue Beetle that you guys are creating a new team?" Kyle said temptingly.

"Yeah," he said a little surprised. Everyone knew they were creating a new team.

"We are all meeting today," Kara said hitting him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.

"Oh, great… ehm," said the Green Lantern that had yet to be invited into the League or the Team.

"You can sit in with us and see if is to your liking," he told him after finally understanding.

"Really?" Kyle had asked before he nodded, "great! Whe-"

"Actually, the meeting will be in a few hours. First, I need to convince the governor of the city to let us base off their shore," he told the enthusiastic Lantern. "You can come if you like," having a Green Lantern on his side at the time would probably be good.

"If he is going, so am I," Kara said not leaving space for argument.

"Alright, but you two better leave the talking to me," he told them before they flew straight to the governor's office. He was not as much of a Silver Tongue as Tim, but he knew his way around.

was the youngest governor of San Francisco in the past hundred years. She was in her mid-thirties and with already two years under her belt in the post. Before that, she had been part of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors which meant she had a strong pull and knowledge of the city's working infrastructure. She was married, previously divorced and had one son of twelve years of age. He believed destiny was on their side with her on the seat instead of some old fart who still looked at vigilantism with a narrowed mind. The capture of the _Escorpines _the previous week showed the necessity the city had for them. Though unintentional, Damian had set them towards a good start.

Since they had announced their interview with the Daily Planet and ClarkCatropolis, more and more people were asking for heroes in San Francisco. It was a city of wealth and poverty in the oddest of mix with a large youth population. Those in their teens and twenties were the strongest voices in these demands. Not surprisingly, after the takedown of multiple human trafficking rings by Red Robin, and also the assistance of Blue with what was some sort of spell gone wrong it was almost impossible for Alissa Jackson to find a reason to say no to them. She, as the mother of a twelve-year-old, would understand there was a lot of work which could only be done by them.

The building was an old piece of white marble architecture with three floors and an astounding entrance with pillars to welcome anyone who came by. They entered through the front windows, not without getting the attention of a few people. He calculated at least twenty minutes would pass before every reported in the area got to the sight. Major Jackson was on her traditional wooden desk surrounded by a carpet of the same kingly blue of the California flag. She saw them the same way an adult did a child. According to what he knew, Tim had sent a message to the woman asking to keep her schedule open for his visit.

"For a moment I thought it was a joke from some teen hacker, not so rare if you care to believe me," Major Jackson was of black woman dressed in a grey suit and a white blouse. "Though," she said with a gentle smile which made him want to trust her, "I was not expecting you or them of all people."

"Red Robin, the leader of the Titans, had to deal with a few things. He apologizes for not being able to be here himself, but I can assure you we can provide any answers for whatever questions you have in regards to our request," he said keeping an even tone.

"Let me guess, you want to be based here," she asked with a knowing smile.

"Can you blame us? You have a beautiful city though it also needs plenty of help," he said.

"You made it seem so only a week before," Major Jackson said with a slight narrow of her eyes. Of course, as a politician she would see things in a different way, always looking for the angle.

"Not our intention, we can assure you. We already had planned to talk to you before that happened," he told her.

"You have thirty minutes before my next appointment… do you have a name? calling you Superboy seems kind of silly," she said entwining her fingers over her desk and giving him a curious look.

"My name is Kon El, this is Kara Zor-El; Superman's cousin, and our companion is a Green Lantern, but that's all I can say," he presented his companions who gave a nod towards the woman.

"Fair enough Kon El, so what exactly had your 'leader' in proposition?" she rolled the words in her mouth as a teacher did when trying to make a child see the real purpose of the question.

"You are right to say we want to move in to be of help to your city, but we also seek your consent," he told her wondering if it was too late to get Tim up there.

"None of your predecessors ever did that," she said showing only a little bit of shock.

"We seek to do things differently. We are aware the League is currently in alliance with the government of this country, and those who from the U.N., but some lines are not well set. At times, there is nothing they can do when it comes to nations which are not in alliance with the U.N. and others it is not known if it is our place to help. Here and now, we seek to come to get to an understanding and set clear lines," meaning, they didn't need the authorities chasing after them when the real threats were somewhere else.

"If I approve of you moving in," she said moving the pieces into her favor.

"You know you can't really say no. I am sorry to say this, but what happened a week ago was not planned. As you can see, we are young, and we were seeking to have for once an ordinary night, but it didn't turn out that way. Imagine what we could uncover if we really looked," even then he believed the drug trafficking world was in turmoil. It was always a downside of their involvement. It tended to make the criminals extra ferocious.

"How old are you Kon El?" she asked him taking him by surprise for a moment, but quickly masked it. This was a question he had expected.

"I am physically sixteen, as for the time I have existed, about eight years," he told her before it was her turn to look shocked.

"And your companions from that night?" she asked.

"Though it is a fair question, I can't reveal information about my colleagues. I can tell you as much as I can about myself, but not them. Though, I imagine you noticed, we are all in our teens or very early twenties," he motioned to Kara and Kyle as they did look older. Red Robin, Blue and Kid Flash were all in their teens.

"You seem like a very mature young man, but you can imagine how it would look like if I let a bunch of teens run around the city imposing the law," anything that diminished her saying over the power was a threat.

"First, we are not your average 'teens.' Secondly, we are not imposing, but reinforcing. Criminals would be delivered to the proper authorities as always to be processed by the law," there was a reason why the League didn't have a prison of their own. They had always known that would make things a lot easier, but easy wasn't always the best answer.

"And soon we will have an Arkham of our own," Major Jackson said waving her hand dismissively.

"Would you prefer them behind cells or running in the streets abducting more children and using them for their own means?" it was a low blow, but he couldn't hold it back anymore. Who knew home many had already died because the _Escorpions_ had not been brought to justice.

The room fell into silence. Now he had done it. If she didn't believe before that the whole operation against the _Escorpions_ had not been planned, she didn't believe it anymore. He knew it sounded like a threat because it was. They needed the approval of the community, or at least the eighty percent who voted for this woman in the greatest landslides of the decade.

"How old are you Kara Zor El?" the Major asked looking unaffected to Kara, who was standing to his right.

"I am twenty, I arrived at Earth three years ago," she said in a polite tone.

"Three years, I thought it was just recent," the Major said looking a little thoughtful.

"My cousin Kal El sent me to live with his adoptive Earth parents for the first year of my time here. After I had moved to Metropolis, I started getting evolved," Kara explained helping somewhat. They were not complete rookies; Kara tried to say through her explanation.

"In your planet, how something like this would be seen. From what I understand they were quite advanced," the Major asked; she never looked away from Kara.

"In Krypton, there was no vigilantism as the crime was nonexistent. However, two guardians always stood by us in secret. It something seemed amiss they interfered," Kara explained reminding him of the stories of Nightwing and Flamebird. He didn't believe the legend of the two deities possessing people every time they were needed, but it seemed Kara did.

"Is this where Superman got the idea?" Major Jackson asked with an intrigued look.

"No way to know. The humans who raised him could have also been the reason. They raised him to do what he believed was right, and that was to use his gifts to aid humanity. Not dominate it, or anything else, but help it towards its path into greatness," Kara said proudly, "this is something Kal El has taught us."

"Greatness," the woman said looking at the three of them.

"Superman, Kal El believes in the potential of this world. He thinks it could be just as grand as or even greater than Krypton was," and though Kara's voice shook a little, she still said it. He imagined it was painful to remember she had almost taken that opportunity away from the Earth population.

"Is that what you are working towards?" the Major asked looking back at him.

"In part, yes; we believe in the potential of humanity. But, we know crime and others can interfere with their growth. It is also about protecting those who can't protect themselves and also keeping greater threats at bay. When you are born, given, or in my own case created with unique abilities, we soon come to realize there are also responsibilities that come along with them. One does not need to have to have abilities like ours to make a real change in the world. Right now, there are people preparing themselves to come up with cures for illnesses, and conditions, there are also people out there trying to work their way out of the bottom to have a real saying in the world. Those people don't need to be distracted by things like tugs or invasions. That's what we are here for," and as he said the words, he realized how true they were.

"Nice little speech Kon El and I don't doubt you really believe every word of it, but let me ask, what this will really entitle to my city?" she asked as she stood up and walked around her desk to stand before him. She barely reached his shoulder, but her presence was imposing. He couldn't even feel a hint of fear from her. Her emotions were in control, and almost nothing would break through her shield.

"I want you to imagine the following" he had to appeal to her not just as the major, but also to her humanity. "Your son wakes up one day and he finds he has an ability which no other human has. He is afraid, and he doesn't know how to control it. What would you do?"

"Ask the League for help," she said simply.

"But the League is too busy fighting a threat, and as the minutes pass by, your son becomes more frightened by himself. This is not something he knows how to control. It has the potential to do something good, but he has no idea how," he said feeling the emotions starting to slip by, "people find out what your son can do, and they want to use him for their own purposes. But, there could be a community of people like him he could rely for not just for help, but also to learn to use his abilities."

"You want to train Metas," she said showing real emotion for the first time. She had not expected this.

"To learn how to control their powers so they won't hurt themselves or others," he summarized.

"Or to create an army," she said narrowing her eyes on him.

"Someone already tried to do that, we stopped them. You have contacts in the capitol, ask them about what happened in El Paso last year," _La Dama_ had tried to do just that. He didn't want to imagine what would have become of the kids she had captured if it hadn't been for Kid Flash, Blue Beetle, and Red Robin, "but, we believe someone might be trying to do the same. The past few days multiple young Metas have been targeted; Static in Dakota City, Red Star in the Taiga Forest, and kids who don't even wear masks. They can't go to the authorities because they are afraid people will find they are Metas... Scared Metas, can you imagine what becomes of them?" what happened alone in the Taiga Forest alone had been a disaster.

"Dangerous," Major Jackson said taking all this information in.

"It is a known fact to us, as it should be to you, that the real enemy is fear. We are not asking to base _in _your city, but the shores of your city. We found an underwater island where we can start building our base. It will be visible from the shores and give your town an attraction as well as a sense of security. It will be far enough so that the young Metas won't cause you problems. Your city can come to be known as the cradle of a new generation of heroes," he knew it sounded like a sales pitch at the end, but she had to see the other benefits they could bring to the table.

She was quiet for a few moments before she checked her watch and sighed. He knew their time was almost up.

"You haven't said anything Mr. Green Lantern," the Major asked, "what do you think of all of this?"

Kyle bit his lip, his youth showing through, but then he made his mask fade away and looked at the Major with shining green eyes, "I believe a good person can teach another person to also be good. We have been taught to do our best, for the best of everyone and to be as selfless as possible. But, that we also need some of the people's cooperation to keep doing it." he paused for a moment before saying, "before I became a Green Lantern, I used to believe only people with special abilities or skills could be heroes, but now I know that anyone can be a hero. Right now, it is your turn to choose if you will be one for those kids. Because, being a hero is not about wearing uniforms or flying, but it is about helping others at our utmost capacity."

She gave them a gentle smile before checking her watch again, "I need to talk to the Supervisors Board, and some other people, the answer is not no, but a maybe. Tell your 'leader' to contact me tonight to give a response."

"We appreciate the time you have given us Major Jackson," Kara said with a slight bow.

"Get going now," the woman said before giving Superboy a stern look which told him there were still many things they needed to discuss. However, he would leave that to Red Robin. Alissa Jackson was by no means someone you could push around.

As they flew out, he almost went blind when countless reporters started shooting pictures of them. He had raised his hand before they all ducked protecting their cameras and phones. It was good to know his reputation as a phone murderer was still standing.

"Let's hurry before they realize," he told his companions before they got away from the sight as fast as possible. They went to a warehouse filled with equipment and material. Blue Beetle and Thorax were already there.

"Ehm, hi," Blue said a little unease to see Supergirl and the Green Lantern there.

"Please tell me she is joining," Thorax said dropping a beam and hurrying to them.

"I want to," Kara said a little shocked by the closeness.

"Really?" Thorax asked with a silly smile. Though his armor was of a more aggressive design and bulkier than Blue's he could see the guy inside through his expressions.

"Yes," Kara said getting infected by the smile.

"Ja- Blue, Supergirl just talked to me," and that seemed to have made Thorax's day.

"So, she does have that effect on everyone," Kyle said before Kara started blushing.

"For most," he said with a shrug.

"Forgive my friend; he is a big fan of yours, which makes him forget to act with some dignity," Blue Beetle said with a smile.

"Shut up _escarabajo, _don't let him poison your mind with his venomous words," Thorax said giving Blue a narrowed look, "old models, you know?"

"Glad to have you aboard Supergirl," Blue went to her and stretched his hand. He could sense he was still a little nervous around her because of what happened a few days ago, but kept it hidden for which he was thankful. Right at that time, Kara needed people who accepted her and see things were forgiven so she could start forgiving herself.

"Are you ready?" he asked Blue looking at the pile of items they had stacked.

"Yeah, we got all that we need, but what about them?" Blue said looking at Kyle and Kara.

"Why don't you guys go explore the city?" he thought it would be good for them to see the people they would be looking after.

"There are some civilian clothes over there if you need to change," Blue pointed towards a door. Leave it to Red Robin to leave everything at hand.

"Is there a shower in there by any chance?" Kyle asked shedding his Lantern uniform, "Seriously, I have been running errands all week nonstop."

"I think there is one at the end of the room," Blue said before he pushed Thorax forwards. His friend threw him a thankful smile before following too.

"Make sure to be back by eleven to take you to the meeting place," he called to them before they were gone.

Using his T.K. he carried the tons of materials towards their destination. All the while, Blue looked troubled but wouldn't say a word.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"I think, just complicated," he said before he sensed multiple emotions from his friend.

"We have been having too many weeks like this, right?" he said with a tired smile.

"You too?" his friend asked.

"Complete madness," and there seemed to be no end to it.

"I miss my family," Blue admitted after a while, "even being woken up by my little sister. You don't think I rushed, do you?"

"Not at all," he said before his friend seemed calmer, "and you can visit them, you know?"

"Mom already made a calendar," Blue said with a short laugh.

"So, you aren't going to tell me what is really bothering you?" he could feel layer after layer of thoughts which were just so close to reach, but he didn't know how to. He would have to try to train with M'gann again even if she did try to snap his neck.

"There is a girl," Blue said before he saw the glimpse of a raven-haired young woman.

"And?" he knew there was more.

"Something about Ted Kord," Blue said before he saw a glimpse of a memory stick.

"But you aren't telling," he said matter of fact.

"It's not that easy," Blue said with a frown.

"We all have the right to our secrets," he had his own, "but remember that we are a team. If this affects the rest of us, you have to let us know so we are ready."

"I understand," Blue said thinking about it. There was turmoil, but not as great as before.

He thought of his own secrets; Dr. Spencer, N.O.W.H.E.R.E. the memories, his unknown DNA, and so much more.


	33. Chapter 33

Becoming Superboy 33

He couldn't remember the last time he had so much fun. He hadn't laughed so much in a long time. Hell, he even danced without having someone to drag him to do it. Just thinking of Kara's face when she saw him recreate some of the same moves he had seen Clark do a few weeks ago was priceless. Even as they flew back home at that moment, he was having a hard time not bursting into laughter. Not much from the day before was good; from the interview talk to the conversation with the governor, their team meeting, and training exercise. Still, it was one of the best days of his almost eight year old life.

"Are you okay?" Kara asked him flying side by side.

"Never been better, why?" he asked her as she kept staring at him as if he had lost his mind.

"I am starting to think you have a brain parasite," she said trying not to laugh.

"You can't tell me you didn't have fun. I saw you laughing," though she kept rejecting every guy that approached her. Kara had perfected the art of rejecting men without hurting their ego too much though he didn't think she needed to be so careful. Some of those guys were just happy to have her acknowledge their existence.

"I did have fun," she said with a smile before it turned upside down. "I sort of forgot all that happened when I was with them, but if they knew what I almost did…" she left the rest unsaid.

"Enough already," he said stopping and turning to look at her with a frown. "You messed up; we all do at some point so get over yourself. Besides, the world is in danger like every other month. H'Ell was nothing special," okay, maybe that was a lie but it would do her no good thinking about it.

"You are an idiot," she said flying ahead of him.

At least she didn't say a clone related insult. That had to count for something. He flew after her but soon realized she didn't want to fly with him so he let her get ahead. He sighed, his good mood almost gone. Well, he had the remaining of that Sunday morning to put some things into order. He and Superman had continued their search for whoever was giving the drugs that gave humans psychic abilities before it turned their brains to mush, check on his leads regarding N.O.W.H.E.R.E. courtesy of Red Robin. Then he got to work on the interview.

When he finally got to the apartment Kara was opening an envelope. He saw it included a ticket.

"I am late!" Kara said reading the note included before rushing into her room.

"Late for what?" he asked taking a cup from the counter to get some coffee.

"A friend of hers is going on tour, they open tonight in Gotham," Clark said from the kitchen as he drank his usual morning coffee.

"Kara has friends?" he asked for this was news to him. He knew she used to share an apartment with a musician, but she didn't think they were that close.

"Shut up Kon!" she shouted from her room before picking out of the room to glare at them, "at least unlike you two, she can speak perfect Kryptonian."

"How is that possible?" he asked when Kara disappeared back into her room.

"Magic," that one little word explained everything.

"Okay, how do I look? Actually, never mind," she said not giving them a chance before going into her room to get changed again.

"What is the name of the band?" he asked curiously as Gotham was a scene usually for darker types of music.

"Punching Fellowship," Clark said with an amused smile. "Did you have fun?"

"Sort of," he said sitting next to him and with a shrug.

"Did you meet someone?" Clark asked trying to be casual but failing miserably.

"I met a lot of people," he said before taking a sip from his coffee.

"What about… girls?" Clark asked stressing on the word.

"Oh, they were there too," he said trying not to laugh. Still, he was curious why Clark would ask him something like that. The most he got involved in that part of his life was when he used to ask him how things were going with Miss Martian in the past, but that was usually it.

"You are not going to make this easy, are you?" Clark said with a sigh before getting up to get another cup of coffee.

"Actually, I am waiting for Kara to leave," he said knowing she was listening to every word they said.

"Yes! Please spare me of your male bonding ritual!" she shouted from her room though he could hear she was also trying not to laugh.

"It's not a ritual," Clark muttered clearly out of his comfort zone.

"Okay, don't say anything or I am going to have to change again," Kara said coming out dressing in jeans, blouse and jacket for a rock concert.

"Have fun," Clark said.

"Will do," she said giving Kon one short glare before leaving.

"So?" Clark asked after he was sure Kara was no longer in hearing range.

"It was fun, but no, I didn't meet anyone I liked," besides, he could tell Kiran/Solstice was only interested on Bart and Celine/Skitter was forming a close bond to Leonid/Red Star. "Why the sudden interest?" that was the real question in the whole matter.

"I was talking to Barry about Bart; remember the incident with the puppets?" Clark said.

"How could I not? Those things were- wait, he didn't lend them to you, did he?" he said using his x-ray vision to check the apartment.

"No, he is saving them for when his kids grow up," Clark said giving him a curious look.

"I have to tell Bart so he can destroy them," he said with determination before sending his friend a quick message.

"Are they really that bad?" Clark asked baffled.

"Yes, but why were you talking about the puppets?" he asked getting a message from Bart thanking him and sure Dan and Dawn would thank him in the future.

"Well, Barry seemed unsure on how to talk to Bart about… well, you know… and he asked me how we talked about _that?" _Clark emphasized on the '_that.'_

"Oh, you mean the chamber you locked me in to listen to Jor El's voice tell me to do all those _exercises," _he remembered how he had tricked him to go to the Fortress for a _special_ training and then locked him in to listen for three days the instructions of the most factual man to have ever lived in Krypton.

"I went through it too," Clark said with a short laugh as he pushed his hair back. He bet he also didn't have good memories of those _exercises._

"I begged you to let me out," he sneered as he hadn't forgiven him for that. He had literally tried to kick the door down and begged him to let him out.

"Fine, I am a monster, but the point is that we never talk about _that," _Clark said in a rush to get words out and looking up at the sky for help.

"Am I not mentally scarred enough?" he asked hoping he would give up.

"Not according to Bruce," Clark said with a slight roll of his eyes. Of course, Batman who had trained three Robins and was now working on the fourth would be declared the expert on kids in the League. It didn't matter that Dick could not keep a steady relationship for more than a few weeks (to start). Or that Jason seemed to share more than just friendship with Starfire… at the same time as Arsenal. Or that Tim seemed to think relationships were a waste of time unless the date entitled fighting crime together. He wondered what would become of Damian but then remembered what a pain in the ass the kid was and thought it could not be any worse.

"Great!" he said sarcastically, "so let me guess. He told you we should talk about _that," _he remembered how pale Nightwing used to look after Bruce talked to him about _that_ a few years back. Tim told him Bart's reaction was much the same when he crashed at the mansion.

"Pretty much," Clark said with a shrug trying to pass it as unimportant but it was clear he saw this as important.

"That's what that training was for. I won't hurt anyone," not that he had tried with a human, and it had been some years since he took that training. He felt a shiver up his spine just thinking of retaking the training.

"It is not so much about you hurting them physically, but about forming a healthy relationship with them. You haven't seen anyone in almost two years," that actually hurt, he thought glaring at Clark.

"I just haven't met someone that interests me and I have been busy. Besides, you have been chasing the same woman for who knows how long. You are not any better," he said knowing it was a cheap shot, but he had to make him see how pointless it was for them to have that conversation.

"Rao, we are terrible at this, aren't we?" Clark said rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I blame your genes," he said crossing his arms.

"Jor El's?" Clark asked with a half-smile.

"Definitely," he said with a short laugh as he stood up and placed his cup in the sink. "You know you don't have to do this, right?"

"I don't want you to make the same mistake I did," Clark told him and watched him as Conner picked into his jacket hanging by the door.

"I might be your clone, but I am not you. Besides, you still have time to meet the right one. Just stop chasing the same skirt. You know there are other women out there too who would be more than happy to meet you as either Clark Kent or Superman," he said before showing him the paper a woman had given Clark the night before with a name and a phone number. "Women are even willing to go old fashion with you," he said placing the little piece of paper on the table.

"I am starting to think the Titans are actually a bad influence on you," Clark said picking the piece of paper and looking at it carefully as if it had a new meaning.

"Or maybe is the other way around," he said thinking back on his years with the Team with a smug smile. The things he had learned, heard and seen even when he hadn't meant to.

Clark stared at him as if he had grown another head. Slowly, understanding started to show on his face. Even though he had a genius level intellect it took him quite a while to understand that Conner had much more life experience than he had anticipated, especially after living in a mostly teen/young adult environment for quite a few years.

"So Cat was right when she said you could probably teach her a thing or two," he said with raised eyebrows. Maybe he didn't need to protect the kid that much.

"I wouldn't go that far, and especially with her," just like Clark, he wouldn't get near that even with a ten-foot pole. Cat Grant was just the kind of woman you didn't mess with without expecting to get messed with back.

"Still, you won't go out," Clark concluded.

"Is this your way to tell me to get a life? Because two play the same game," he said with a glare.

"Not a bad idea," Clark said thinking aloud.

"Huh? Do you really want to tell you to get a life?" he asked wondering if there was another way to phrase it.

"Not that, but let's make a bet," Clark said with a smile that at first looked friendly, but Conner could see the sharp edges.

"Alright, I am intrigued, what do you have in mind?" he asked leaning forwards.

"We both most get a date by next Friday, the one that doesn't get a date has to do something the other orders them," Clark said crossing his arms smiling smugly.

"Pfff, you are kidding, right?" he said leaning back on his chair, it had to be a joke.

"Not at all," Clark said picking the phone number from the table.

"That would be cheating," he said with a slight glare.

"So, you are in?" Clark had asked before he realized it had been a trap.

"I can ask for anything?" he asked after a moment of thought.

"Is that what you are really after?" Clark asked him disappointment written on his face.

"Of course," he said with his own confident smile.

"Fine, anything but keep in mind that you could lose," Clark said before they agreed to the little game.

8888

If he wasn't half Kryptonian he was sure he would have already gained ten pounds from visiting the Bagel Palace alone, then another ten from all the takeout food he and Clark ate. They were both good cooks, but nothing bet like just ordering. He was on his fourth bagel as he wrote down some of the questions he would address on his independent project, assisted by Lois. She was on her fifth cup of coffee watching him before she pointed out to something else he could improve. She allowed him to do almost everything on his own but steered him slightly when she saw him hesitate.

"You have to ask the hard questions, not in the way that it centers on the gruesome but the real story," she told him for the tenth time when he tried to soften the wording.

"Maybe I should write about something else," the story he decided to follow was not for the weak of heart to start with.

"You are not doing that again young Kent," she told him with a glare, "you did that back with the article you were working on in Thanksgiving and tell me how long it took you to get it to me. You think the news are going to wait while you make up your mind?"

He didn't answer; instead he looked at what he had written. He knew it was a good story, but it would lead him to places he really didn't want to see. It was easy to go as Superboy, beat the bad guys and then fly away, but to look at the underbelly of things was something else. What had happened with Clark and the disappeared women was a clear sign that he would see things that would haunt his dreams for a long time.

"You okay kid?" he looked up at Lois who looked authentically concerned; she thought she had gone too far. Talk about paradoxes.

"Yeah," he said offering a stringy smile before he kept writing. He heard her sigh in relief as she kept looking over what he wrote.

"So, how is old Kent doing?" she asked failing to mask her curiosity.

"Fine," he said wondering if she had some remains from the memories that were changed, "and he is not old, actually I believe he is the same age as you."

"Men age faster, everyone knows that," she said before taking another sip of her coffee, but watching him the whole time.

"Right," he said with a smirk. He kept on working for a few more moments before adding "he told me to get a life in the morning, I told him to do the same. He really needs to get out more and I don't mean to get more food from the diner around the corner."

"Good luck with that, I believed he was a monk the first year I knew him. Never batted an eyelash at the horde of women after him," of course, that was because Clark only had eyes for her. The shocked look on her face a moment told him she had realized it right then.

"Oh, but is different this time," he didn't say more wondering if Clark would be too upset he was telling her this.

"How so?" she asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"We made a bet. We both have to find dates by Friday; the one that fails, has to do whatever the other says," he said looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"And he agreed to that?" Lois asked with raised eyebrows.

"He is the one who came up with it," he told her before he saw her frown slightly but quickly masked it with more curiosity.

"So, what are you going to ask him to do?" she asked him.

"I have no idea," he said with a shrug.

"You really can't tell me you haven't thought about it," she said with a skeptical look.

"I have, but it's really hard to think of something he would be reluctant to do. He is the kind of guy that takes punishment with so much dignity that you really don't get to enjoy it," in every scenario he could think Clark kept walking with his head held high.

"I guess I understand," she couldn't even really enjoy playing pranks on him back when they worked across each other. He usually made her feel like an immature brat when she did.

"Any suggestions?" he asked her.

"You are asking me?" she asked wide eyed. Was this fate finally smiling upon her?

"Yeah, you can probably come up with something ten better times better than I can," and he didn't say just because he wanted them to at least befriend, he really believed she could come up with something better than have Clark run around the block in his underwear.

"I will think about it," she said with a smirk.

888

He flew over the city looking out for any clue as for who was giving people the drugs that gave people psychic powers. He suspected since the general population had been warned of the after effects their distribution had been limited. He hoped that was the case and not something else. He and Superman had been talking about the possible causes, and one of them was that the _product_ had been perfected and now didn't cause the same issue as before. It would be a good day in hell the day that drug got sold into warring nations. He could just imagine the bloodbaths they could cause without having to fire a single bullet.

They had looked into every possible suspect, even Luthor Corp, but they had yet to find the ones behind the heinous act. The League and the Titans had been looking into the samples they had been able to recover, but what they found made no sense, or at least not in words yet created. As far as they could tell the technology used was nonexistent. At least, not on Earth.

As he flew over the city, he also listened to anything related to N.O.W.H.E.R.E. He had found very little from the clues Red Robin had found. Mostly empty storages and buildings which he suspected had worked as bases of operations. He had yet to receive any other messages from Dr. Spencer and feared they had finally caught up with her. He really hoped that wasn't the case. From what he had learned about N.O.W.H.E.R.E. they wouldn't just kill her. It seemed they were good at manipulating others without them even realizing. For them to pull one on Lex Luthor was a sign that they were not afraid of whoever stood on their way.

When the sun started to set he went back to the apartment and got changed into everyday clothing, grabbed his recorder (a birthday gift from Clark), his notes and questions and headed out. He had thought about postponing this part of his investigation, but Lois's words reminded him that he couldn't hide the truth no matter how gritty it was sometimes. What they chose to do for a living was harsh and soul hardening, but it was for a good cause. The articles that had inspired him were excellent examples of this.

He walked down Richmond Avenue making sure to not make eye contact with the lowlifes of the area until he spotted the children's home in the corner. Outside, but not beyond the gates he spotted some teens and kids chatting on the steps as they watched the world pass them by. He stood before the group home with a tight feeling on his gut. The place was big, but it also looked like it had seen better days a long time ago. He stood by the gate wondering how he should go about this until one of the younger kids went to him.

"What you want?" the boy asked with a mouth missing some of his teeth. He couldn't be more than six or seven years old.

"Could I talk to the person in charge?" he asked trying to be as polite as possible.

"I am at charge," the kid said crossing his arms, his elbows full of scabs.

"The adult in charge," he said with a tight smile.

"The hell! I told you I am in charge!" the kid shouted before he dropped all courtesy and glared at the kid. This was hard enough without getting lip from a pint sized brat.

"That's enough Mikey," one of the older kids said approaching, "sorry man, the guard is out and we don't know when he will come back." The teen was Latin American and looked to be in his late teens.

"No one is looking after you?" he asked shocked and did he say, guard? This was an orphanage, not a jail.

"We look after each other, but what you want him for? The fatty is only good at stuffing his face," the teen told him in good humor.

He felt his eyebrow twitch. Lois had helped him to get this lead. According to her, she had arranged for an interview to talk to the Resident Aide of that group home though she wouldn't tell him more than that. She just said the rest was up to him.

"I am here to interview him," he said taking a deep breath after taking a small peek at the building. Most of the younger children were already sleeping for the exception of the little one glaring at him; the older ones were cleaning the shambled house and doing other things, but nothing dangerous. It seemed they could indeed look after each other.

"You look too young to be a reporter, school project?" the teen asked him.

"Something like that," he knew he probably thought they were the same age.

"Hmm, listen, some of us stay out later to keep a lookout. You can wait with us until he comes back," the teen said opening the gate to let him in.

"You keep lookouts?" that just didn't sound right.

"If you haven't noticed, we don't live uptown," the teen said with a smirk, "besides; you look like you work out. Those idiots will think more than once before they try anything."

He sat with the teens and the young boy on the steps. Most of the questions he had prepared for the Resident Aide he made it to them. He knew he might not be able to quote them on everything as they were still minors, but he was curious to compare those answers with those of the Resident Aide. He also learned about the kids. It seemed they had landed here from different places. Some were from Metropolis, but only very few. The rest came from all over the country. The other kids seemed to follow the teen that had let him in, his name was Francisco, but he went by Cisco. The kid had arrived at their group home some months back from Texas. The teenager wouldn't say much about himself, which made him wonder why he crossed half the nation to come here.

"Now I know where I know you from. You are going to interview the Titans, right?" Cisco said after he told him his full civilian name.

"Ehm, yeah," Conner said hoping he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Everyone else at the college stared at him as if he was… well, a half alien.

"What are you doing here man? Shouldn't you be getting ready for that? I mean you are going to interview freaking Superboy, Kid Flash, and Blue Beetle," Cisco said with a faraway look.

"I don't want to report only on capes," he said without having to think about it.

"That's cool; just don't make us look too bad. These kids could go to a worse place if the place gets shuts down," Cisco told him.

"How so?" he asked. It wasn't horrible here, but he couldn't… no, he didn't want to imagine what could be worse.

"In the North end there is a _home_ only for girls, and the caretakers are not nuns if you get my drift," Cisco said with tight fists.

"No, I don't," Conner snapped at him before the kids looked at him with wide eyes. Up until then he had been very calm.

"Look, I know reporters don't care much for the lives they ruin, but you seem nice enough. Let's say you drop the bomb on those bastards. Then the girls get exposed to the world and they get to live the rest of their lives with a fucking label. We have a deal with them that they can sneak here at night when the guard falls asleep and they get to stay here but have to leave in the morning. But, not all of them always make it," Cisco said lost in his memories.

"I see," he said admonishing himself for letting his temper get the better of him. "I can't promise anything, but let me help."

"What could you do?" Cisco said with a short laugh. "I mean, no offense but you don't look that much older than me."

"I am interviewing some capes, remember? And they are big on defending the rights of other kids," he said trying to rein in his temper. He didn't want to blow up the place.

"Aren't they too busy for things like this?" Cisco said with a tone of resentment.

"They will make time, or I will make sure to question them in national TV why they haven't," Conner swore he would if Red Robin didn't lend him at least one of the other Titans to help him.

"Alright, I believe you… hmm, maybe this can help," Cisco said taking his notepad and writing something on it.

_Hey Blue, I could use some help from your friends. Cisco Ramon._

"You know the Blue Beetle," he said trying to recall if Blue had ever mentioned Cisco. If he came from Texas a few months ago, it wasn't hard to guess he had been involved with the taking down of _La Dama._

"He is sort of the reason why I came to Metropolis, you know? To keep my head low and whatnot," Cisco said not giving anything else away.

It was shortly after that the Resident Aide came back. When he saw Conner sitting on the steps with the kids, his face turned as white as paper, and almost dropped his takeout bag. It seemed Lois informed the interview wouldn't be until the next day, the reason why he was unprepared. The man started barking order at the kids to get to bed and getting cleaned as he led Conner to his little dirty office offering apologies for the prying kids who would probably end up in jail as soon as they left the home.

"They can't be trusted, you know? No parents to teach them any better. When they get here, they are completely ruined. Little liars too, don't believe anything they said. They have this tendency to try to make themselves look innocent but it's all an act, that's why they can't get adopted. Good people know better than to believe them," the man said trying to stuff as much trash as he could on his little trash bin. Though the rest of the house was as clean as possible, the office was not which only made him believe either the man didn't let the kids in or they didn't clean it as revenge.

He didn't comment which only made the man nervous. Until he cleared a chair for him to sit, he started with his questions. He could call most of what the man said BS. Nutritional meals? He had already picked into the pantries and he was pretty sure the kids were not wrong on calling the Residential Aide a guard. The food was the same, if not worse than in jail. Only one of the five bathrooms worked, and they didn't have warm water. Two to three kids slept on the same single bed and the blankets were practically in tatters.

He had well in mind to see where the funding went to. The home received a governmental donation for every child in the home to feed, clothe and keep them clean, that plus outside donations.

"Thank you for your time," he said cutting the interview to a close suddenly.

"It's nothing young man, I hope your article can move people to help us with these kids," the man had downsized the actual amount of budget for the place, by the amount of trash around the room he could guess where it was going.

"I am sure it will," he said before leaving.

As soon as he was a block away he made a call.

"You did that on purpose," he said to his journalist mentor.

"First lesson kid. Catch them on the act. Don't tell me you didn't get some good stuff," Lois said while he could hear on the background a movie playing

"I am going to the group home for girls on the North end. The people there are running a prostitution ring," he was not going to let that go on.

"What?" he heard Lois drop something.

"One of the kids told me," he said as he walked a little faster. Some thugs were following him. He reminded himself not to use his cell in the area again, simply to keep a low profile.

"And you believed him?" Lois sounded a little skeptical.

"I am just going to check it out," a lie, but it was a benign one. She didn't need to know he was going to help the kids there. It would just make her try to get involved and he didn't want her near the danger.

"Fine, but be careful," she said before he heard her slap her forehead, "I can't believe I said that. Go get that story!"

"You got it general," he said with a short laugh before turning into an alley and then jumping to land on the roof.

"I like that," he could tell she was smiling they he hung up. He watched the confused thugs look for him before they gave up and left. He looked then at his phone and wondered what he was doing. The dream induced by the Outlaws came back to mind and he greeted his teeth.

This wasn't the time to think about that, he thought tucking away his civilian clothes in a neat bundle on the roof before hurrying to the girl's group home. In the way, he made a call to Red Robin asking him for someone to be his backup. After a quick explanation of what he was doing Red agreed.

The home of the girls was in much better state than the one in Richmond Avenue, but he knew it was just for appearances. He stuck to a nearby roof and watched the back entrance of the group home. Soon after, he was joined by Kid Flash, who was prepared with snacks for the stakeout.

"This is going to get ugly, isn't?" Kid Flash asked him after a few minutes of silence.

"They are getting ready to flee," which could only mean bad news.

"Red told me," Kid Flash said putting away his food and losing the smile, "what are we going to do with them? You don't want them exposed to the media, right?"

"I don't know, but we just can't leave them there," it would be beyond cruel to let them spend another night like that.

"Can you give me like half an hour?" Kid Flash said fidgeting.

He was about to ask for what, but he could see Bart was determined not to leave the job half done.

"Hurry," he said before the speedster was gone.

It was close to midnight when he spotted a rather luxurious car park on the back of the building, plates missing. A group of men and women stepped out at the same time as the girls started sneaking out the windows. He was impressed by how fast they removed the bars from the windows and began methodically to get away. The older ones helping, the younger to get over the fences and walls. Some of the _guards_ snuck on them and started pulling them back inside. The girls shouted but were and fought with all the strength but they were out-powered by the grown men and women who silenced them with cloths damped in chloroform, which in actually didn't make them unconscious but merely put them in a groggy and confused state. He decided he had seen enough.

It was like all sound went off the moment he landed in the middle of the chaos. He walked up to one of the men who was holding a girl around thirteen years old. The man didn't say anything as he got the girl from him. He walked to the girls who had gathered in a bundle at the edge of the lawn. He handed the dazed girl to one of the older girls after making sure she would be okay.

As he had expected the shock only lasted so long. Being located within Metropolis meant they knew something like this might happen, so in a few seconds the men and women at charge of the place were armed to the teeth.

"This is none of your business kid!" one shouted.

"You were supposed to protect them," he said in a stern voice.

"Mind your own business alien!" another shouted.

Then the shots started. The girls behind him screamed and ducked down. He stopped the bullets in midair before they fell to the ground in a heap.

"You are going to pay for what you did," he said before he saw them flinch.

Some of them were already shaking, and stepping back. One of the men raised his gun in a panic ready to shoot at him though it was clear that would do no good. The man was holding air the next second.

"Sorry for the delay ladies," Kid Flash said dissembling the gun in a moment and dropping the pieces to the ground. A few seconds later all guns and weapons were in the same state in the lawn.

"Now," he said crossing his arms, "we can do this the bad way, or the worse way. You are going to help us find out who these people are whether you like it or not. You are going to act like everything is fine and go as usual until we say so. Understood?"

Most of them nodded.

"Did you find a place for them?" he asked Kid Flash, who was trying to cheer the girls up. He actually got a few to smile.

"A very nice place by the beach, with a new wings just for them courtesy of yours truly," he said proudly.

One by one Kid Flash took the girls to a real group home in Florida. He had been searching for a safe place and gone to wake up the people at charge before explaining to them what happened. The only argument they had been regarding space which Kid Flash fixed in a few minutes.

The men and women inside who had no idea what had been happening in the yard weren't very happy when they saw Superboy step in the waiting area. Many argued they would sue him or worse. He didn't comment as he locked them up in one of the rooms and away from their mobile devices. He had the men and women who ran the place welcome every guest as usual, some noticed something was off and tried to run off, but never got far. By the time the sun started to rise and it was clear they wouldn't be going anywhere, he called the authorities.

As usual they thought it was some sort of joke, but when Kid Flash showed up at the precinct, it became clear it was serious. He knew there would be little to no proof of what those men and women did, so while they had been rounding them up he had Red Robin look into their backgrounds. If they didn't nail for this, it wasn't hard to find another reason why. After sorting even the paperwork of the girls so they would be protected, he leaned on the wall of the back alley.

"Cisco?" Kid Flash had said before he spotted the teen trying to pick into the scene behind the line the police had set.

"So, you know him too?" he asked a bit more curious about the kid.

"Yeah, he is a meta. He helped us with _La Dama,_" Kid Flash said waving in general at the crowd who had mixed feelings about taking pictures with Superboy (aka. Phone killer) nearby. Kid Flash made eye contact with Cisco and the kid smiled and waved back.

"A meta," he wondered why he hadn't done more to help the girls.

"Yeah, he got good powers, he is just too scared to use them. He said he wanted to live a normal life, but it seems trouble keeps finding him," Kid Flash said before Cisco pulled back from the crowd.

"I see," he knew of other metas who lived in such a way. He considered it a waste, but exception of some.

"So, what now?" Kid asked him after a long yawn.

"You can go home, you got school in a few hours," and he knew even speedster needed to sleep.

"So do you," Kid said with a smirk, "see ya later Kon." And then he was gone.

He answered a few more questions for the officials before leaving. He knew he would not be getting any sleep soon and had actually decided to skip his first class of the day. He found Clark waiting for him with his laptop ready.

"It's all yours," he said setting a cup of coffee for him on the table. He took a deep breath and started typing away. Though a bit tired, he didn't stop writing until the article was completely done. The individual project could be delivered at any time during the semester and most waited until the end, but this couldn't wait.

He almost crashed into Mr. Global in his hurry to deliver the article. He needed it published while others still didn't have the same info he did. The old teacher watched him over his glasses from time to time as he read the article.

"You rush into the story like a bull, you are going to get yourself killed," the man said as he sent the article to all the news corporations that would grade it, and if they wished to, publish it.

He opened his mouth to say that it didn't matter as long as the truth got out but was stopped by the teacher raising his hand.

"Save it, I heard it from your cousin before. Also, I didn't say rushing was a bad thing; just make sure you don't get killed. Lois Lane can teach a few things about that," the man said with a wrinkled smile. "You can take over the sofa of my office if you want. Good job Mr. Kent."

He took the offer thankful and missed another class. When he woke up, it was at his phone going crazy with messages from his friends and from Lois and Clark. He rubbed his eyes as he read over them. They all had read the article, which got a lot of attention. He felt like staying in the office until everyone forgot. It wasn't a secret he didn't like being the center of attention.

"Found you!" Lori almost knocked the door off it's hinges as she slammed it open. The following ten minutes were full of questions from the upset Luthor at being left in the shadows of the whole ordeal. "I thought we were friends," she pouted.

"It just sort of happened," he said with a shrug as he finally got up and picked his backpack. Might as well get it over with.

"That does not just happen," Lori said walking next to him towards their next class.

"I was doing a slightly different story when I found about this," he said as they left the building and he started getting stares. Rao, he hoped his five minutes of fame would be over soon.

Though he was known to be somber, that didn't stop a few people from asking him questions.

"Get your story somewhere else," Lori, thankfully, scared off the most insistent ones away. "Maybe you should hire me to be your bodyguard," she said with a laugh.

At the end of the day after much questioning, and pointing he wished he had taken her on her offer.


	34. The Bachelor

NOTE: I will start putting titles on the chapters. Sincerely it is more for my sake than yours. Sometimes, I need to go back check things and I forget in what chapters they were. This is the usual order in which I update…

Becoming Superboy

The Flight of the Blue Beetle

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path

A Robin, Red Robin

I try to write at least one chapter per week, so at least every story gets an update every month.

Becoming Superboy 34: The Bachelor

There had to be something very wrong with what he was doing. He had seen some of his friends do it, but he always stayed out of it. It wasn't like he was blind or couldn't appreciate the curves of a woman, but to ogle so shamelessly… it didn't set well with him. There was a lot of guilt whenever they noticed him looking. They all smiled at him, but he still felt like scum.

"I think she likes you," Lois said to him from her desk as she went over his plan for the interview in a few days. It was the woman's fault. She had him sit facing the hall outside and pointing out every young lady that passed by.

"Is it going to take much longer?" he asked shifting on his seat. It had never occurred to him he might lose the bet. He was sure Kal El wouldn't ask him to do something too outrageous, but he still didn't want to lose. Losing would just open more doors for Kal to try to get him to talk about _that_, and he dreaded it.

"Aren't you in a hurry Mr. I got my first article published?" Lois said waving at the brunette who had been smiling back at him before motioning for her to come inside her glass-walled office.

"What are you doing?!" he asked her wondering if he could jump out the window and claim it was because he wanted to catch up with Superboy.

"Winning us a gamble," Lois said with a smile before the young woman entered the office, "hello there…"

"Holly, Ms. Lane," the lady said with a big smile before turning to look at him, "you are Conner Kent, right? I read your article. I really hope you do your internship here."

"Ehm, yes," he said trying not to be awkward.

"So, Conner here has made a bet with his cousin, Clark Kent," Lois started right off the bat before motioning to Holly to sit down.

"Ms. Lane!" where was a disaster when you needed it!

"You sound just like him," Lois said in a pleased voice, "anyways, because he is a social tragedy just like every Kent with a Y chromosome, they made a bet that if one of them couldn't get a date for this Friday, the loser had to do whatever the other wanted. We were wondering if you would be interested in helping Conner out."

Holly looked shocked for a moment at Lois before turning to look at him. He just couldn't look at that young woman in the eyes. This was probably the most embarrassing moment in his life. Take out the talk he had with Kal a few days before. This one changed standards forever.

"That's so cute," Holly said after a moment, "but I sort of have plans for that night, otherwise, believe me, the answer would be yes."

He looked up at her and saw her blush. There was no trace of insincerity in her voice.

"Maybe a rain check?" she asked him before he nodded, "great. I have to go then, I have to deliver this to Mr. White in the next minute or he will throw me out a window."

When she was gone, he glared at Lois.

"What? She actually does look like she likes you, too bad" she said going back to the plan for the interview, "alright, I won't bring it up again unless I see one of those girls looking your way."

He held back a sigh before he caught Holly's voice a few halls away.

'Oh my gosh, someone is going to get lucky,' she said before he concentrated on her voice.

'What do you mean?' another young woman asked her.

'You know about Kent's cousin?' Holly asked.

'Who hasn't?' what did they mean by that? Yeah, his article was a hit, but it was about the story, not him.

'Well, he is in the dragon's den and it looks like she is helping him find a date for this Friday,' Holly said before the other woman and a few who had been listening gave shrill cries that almost made him cover his ears.

'Seriously? The woman dates the most handsome news anchor in the city and she blows him off all the time,' one of the young women said.

'He is there, they just asked me but you know I already promised Dylan to go to that stupid wine tasting on Friday,' Holly said with a sigh 'so, what are best friends for?'

A few moments later a steady stream of interns started walking in front of Lois' office. Some were better at hiding their intentions, but most checked him out shamelessly and left wording things he wished he didn't understand.

"Don't overestimate the power of office gossip," Lois said with a smug smile. Of course, she had known this was going to happen.

When he got into the elevator, he met with no other than Jimmy Olsen.

"So, I heard you are looking for someone to beat Clark on a bet, right?" the photographer asked him with a dangerous shine in his eyes.

The power of office gossip was frightening.

"There's this place where there's always cute girls. I could take you there tonight if-" Jimmy was saying before one of the young interns entered the elevator.

"Excuse me," another one said entering too.

"Me too," and another.

"Sorry," and another until the place was full.

"Let me in!" some cried out as the doors finally closed

"So, what do you say?" Jimmy asked being pushed all the way to the opposite corner of the elevator.

"I – hey!" he was going to decline but then he felt someone's sharp nails on his behind. It didn't hurt, but it didn't make it right.

"Sorry!" one of the women surrounded him said though he wasn't sure which one it had been. This seemed to encourage the rest and he tried to pull back from them as much as possible, but it was impossible in such a small cramped space. He looked at Jimmy for advice, but the young man only shrugged as if saying 'nothing can be done.'

When the elevator finally arrived at his destination, he all but ran away from the place. Next time he was flying.

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"What happened to you?" Kara asked when he entered the apartment.

He went to sit at the kitchen table across from her and stared at her fixedly.

"You are scaring me," Kara declared after a moment and stopping whatever she was doing.

"How do you turn someone down?" she had seen her turn down a lot of guys before. She had to know.

"I thought the bet was to find someone to date?" she said looking at him with wide eyes.

"Word got out, and all the interns at the Daily Planet are now after me," he told her before she started to laugh. "I am serious, my clothes might not survive next time," he said showing her a few holes and tears on his flannel shirt.

"Just tell them you are not interested," she said controlling her laughter.

"It's that what you do?" she made it seem more complicated than that.

"Of course not, but you really can't spare the feelings of every stranger that is after you. Besides, we are going to be working with those guys," she said matter of fact.

He guessed that made sense.

"Also, you don't want to date someone from the Daily Planet. I have heard Kal say they have a terrible case of office drama. And, if you end up going there… well, it won't be just groping that you have to worry about," she said with an unashamed smile appeared on her face.

"You are not as innocent as you pretend to be, are you?" he asked her.

"Oh please, one of the greatest forms of entertainment in Krypton was to watch dramas unfold before our very own eyes. The things I could tell you," she sighed.

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"These kids are taking the law into their own hands! They are violating the rights of men and women alike!" Gordon G. Godfrey ranted on his online channel. "One has to wonder what the League teaches them; if they teach them anything at all. God knows they probably leave them to their own devices. According to the reports, the ones to orchestrate this disaster were Kid Flash and Superboy. Those kids were violating the curfew for minors to start with." Godfrey laughed sarcastically, "well, you can't really call Superboy a minor, he is a clone, an unnatural freak." The man leaned on his desk and then said with a dark glare, "the saddest thing is that youth is so blinded by their bright costumes and their 'mentors' reputation to realize the true danger they represent. We have yet to see any laws or regulations to keep them from hurting us, everyday people."

"You got that right G-man!" Leslie Willis; a popular radio DJ and Godfrey's guest for that night's show shouted at the top of her lungs. "Take it from me folks, your beloved queen babe of all media, mistress of the airwaves, the one, and only Leslie Willis! I know I have said it before on my own show, but I will say it again and again until all you get it. I am sick and tired of that Superman guy and his little super friends or whatever they are. You can't turn on the news ever because there is always someone praising their tight wearing asses! Then, though who reads them anymore? But they are always on the front page of the newspapers, and again on online media. All of those alien loving jackasses make me sick! Are there some smart people like me out there who are just as sick of Metropolis' pathetic devotion to that phony flying Boy Scout and his troop? C'mon folks, no one can that good in real life. Those capes don't really care for us, they only care about fame!"

"Please turn that off," Clark said from the kitchen as he unpacked their dinner.

"I guess that's enough," he said doing just that.

"Why are you listening to those two in the first place?" Clark asked him with a frown.

"Lois said I should watch every angle of the story, especially if I want to follow up on it," and every angle also meant listening to those two try to get more followers by making outrageous statements which couldn't be proved. Or, in common terms, they were talking out of their-.

"Do you already know where to start?" Clark asked him before handing him the extra-large burger he asked for.

"The group home I went to visit first. That's where I got my source from," he hoped Cisco would help them some more since they did help those girls.

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There was a very short list of things that could take him by surprise, one was added that night. As he was preparing to have peaceful night, until his turn to patrol, Jimmy Olsen showed up at their door. He had not gotten the message across that Conner was not interested in meeting girls with him.

"Hey Jimmy," Clark said from the kitchen.

"So, he is playing it cool," Jimmy said giving Clark a suspicious look.

"What are you talking about?" Clark asked.

"He heard about the bet," Conner said starting to get a headache.

"Please, don't tell me you told Lois," Clark said trying not to laugh.

"You bet he did," Jimmy said before Clark could no longer hold his laughter, "he told the one and only gossip queen."

"I thought you were on my side," he told Jimmy.

"I am, watch. She also told Cat," he said lastly to Clark.

"She didn't," Clark stopped laughing right away before hurrying to his phone.

"You know Lois and Cat might be rivals, but they both love to see you squirm," he said before the man started going through the many messages he had received in the past half hour. "Get ready man, we are going to make CK lose that bet and you know what could be the best thing to ask him?"

"What?" he asked as Clark was starting to panic as he went through more of the messages.

"Make him go on a date with every single one of those women," Jimmy said with a devious smile, something he guessed he learned from Lois.

It was so simple and yet so ingenious.

"No, Conner," Clark said as he looked at him and back to his phone as more messages arrived.

"Give me five minutes," he said to Jimmy before hurrying to change.

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"Please, don't tell me this is a Kent thing? You look like are here to watch over people, not to have fun," Jimmy said as they sat the bar.

"I am having fun," he said calmly. He enjoyed the music that was playing, the cheerfulness and exuberance of the place. His T.K. could pick up on every emotion and feeling. His blood was pumping as if he was the one on the dance floor. His mind was slightly numb from the drunkenness around him. He guessed this would be closest he would ever get to the feeling.

"Tell that to that poor chick that has been waiting for you to hit on her for the past ten minutes. You keep making eye contact with her, but don't move a muscle," Jimmy all but sighed at his hopelessness.

"She is too drunk," he said stating what everyone else could see.

"So what? That doesn't mean she doesn't like you," Jimmy said pushing his shoulder.

"I don't want to take adva-"

"It is a Kent thing, god save us. You, people, are going to become extinct if you don't start taking risks," maybe there really was something about the men from the El family that made them awkward around women. He wouldn't be surprised as there were countless generations behind them made up of arranged marriages. There was never a need to know how to approach women alone. It was more like 'here is your mate, now make genetically superior babies' and that was it.

"Fine," he said before taking a deep breath and crossing the bar to sit next to the drunk young woman.

"Hey there cutie pie, it was about time," she said slurring her words before pushing a drink his way.

"Sorry, I have never done this before," and suddenly he wanted to slap himself. Why the hell did he say that?

"And honest too, how cute. Well, you do have a jailbait sort of face. How old exactly are you?" she asked getting a little too close to him as if trying to make sense of his features.

"Twenty-one," on paper only but she didn't need to know the rest, "are you feeling okay?"

"God, if all men just stayed like this. The world would be such a perfect place," she said with an awry smile. "Would you take me home and make me feel like I am twenty-one again?"

"I-" so that just happened. He was tempted to look back at Jimmy for help before he was distracted by the woman's laugh.

"I am just kidding, gosh you are too innocent. I promise I won't tell, but you really aren't twenty-one, are you?" he could only offer her a crooked smile of his own, "ha, I still got it. Don't worry ehm-"

"Conner," he said politely by placing his jacket on her shoulders. She was shivering in that small dress.

"Jude," she said with a sigh enjoying the warmth on her back, "they don't make them like you anymore. Where are you from?"

"I moved a lot, but my family comes from a small town in Kansas," and before that from another planet, but she wasn't so drunk that she would forget that one.

"You don't have an accent," she said with a giggle.

"People from Kansas don't have strong accents," he said removing the lock of hair that threatened to get into her mouth.

"Well, you learn something new every day," she said with a sigh, "I am really tempted to take you home with me tonight. You are very sweet."

"I didn't come for that," he told her never looking away from her and following Kara's advice, "I don't know if this the best place for it, but I was looking for someone I could go on a date with."

"Definitely not the right place," she said with a short laugh, "your friend brought you, right? Well, look," she said before he turned his head and saw Jimmy with lips locked with a girl, "that's what men and women come for to this place, and some more."

"Do you mind if I talk to you instead?" going back to the photographer didn't seem like an option at the time. He guessed he might even go home on his own the way things were escalating.

"Why not? It wouldn't be the first time I go back home empty handed," Jude said taking another swing from her drink.

He actually got a good chat from Jude, a Californian working as an assistant for a horrible boss who was sucking away her youth. She wasn't really that old, she was in her late twenties, but she claimed her spirit aged a year every day she went to work. She went to the bars once or twice every week looking for what she termed as preying on fresh meat. From looking around, it didn't seem she was the only one to do this.

"You are like the price of the cereal box, you know? You are handsome, not an idiot, and all that. Your downside is that you are not looking for what everyone else is. Innocence has drawn backs too. It feels sort of wrong go after you," she said leaning her head against his shoulder. "You need to go to places for people like you, like church."

"I am not religious," he did believe in Rao but was not devote.

"You are not getting me," she said giving his chest a playful slap, "wow; you pump iron, don't you? So, think of what you like to do, where do people who like the same meet? Isn't there a chance you will meet someone there?"

"That's the soundest advice anyone has given me the whole day," he laughed.

"See, I might be drunk but I am a goddamn good assistance, and that's really important when your boss is an idiot," the woman said taking another drink, but the glass didn't reach her lips, "I think I should go home."

"Let me help you," he said doing just that. He helped her get outside and called her a cab. He gave her his number to call him when she was safely back home.

"Never change kid, you are going to make a girl very happy someday," she told him before the cab drove away.

"Well, wasn't that sweet," he knew the voice, but it took him a moment to recognize it. He turned around and faced no other than Leslie Willis. The Goth makeup, short dark hair, dark clothing, and loud voice were a clear giveaway.

"Can I help you?" he asked faking ignorance as he put on his jacket.

"Yes you can, you can tell that freak of nature to get lost," the way she staggered made him realize she was plastered. The woman's eyes could barely focus.

"Will do," he said starting his way back to the bar to look for Jimmy. It was going to be his turn to patrol soon, so he had to go.

"Oh no you don't!" she said pulling him back fruitlessly, but he stopped so she wouldn't get hurt, "tell him to get here right now so I can tell him myself!"

By then a lot of people were recording them.

"Let go of me lady," he told her, "and go home before you hurt yourself."

"Don't call me lady! I am goddamn-" but the woman staggered almost falling down hadn't he caught her.

"Do you want me to call you a cab?" she asked as she looked at him through cloudy eyes.

"Shut up you- you self-entitled…" she pushed herself away from him, "why the hell you protect those freaks! They are nothing but trouble!"

"How can you say that after they had saved those girls and countless people before then?" he said running a hand through his hair. People like her just didn't make sense to him.

"They did it only for the fame!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

"They don't go around shouting their names everywhere they go or imposing their ideas on others, that's you," he said before she saw her clouded eyes become filled with hatred.

"Shut up!" she shouted.

"Even if what you say is true, they are still helping people. How many people have you helped? How many have you saved?" he asked before turning his back on her to get back inside. He planned to take the back exit and just go straight home. That was the plan until he sensed the beer bottle flying his way. He couldn't use his powers to stop it, or duck because there was someone else ahead of him. So, he took the hit and faked to be shocked by it.

"Where are your fucking capes now, eh? Why didn't they save you, eh? Because they don't care about us! That's why!" she shouted before he ran a hand down his face. That woman was impossible.

"Lady, raise your hands," said one of the cops in the area who had made it just in time to see the whole altercation.

"I am Leslie Willis! You can't do that to me bitch!" she shouted before slapping the officer who looked as shocked as everyone else.

"I need a unit, over," the cop called through her radio before giving Leslie a withering look, "you just assaulted an office missy and it doesn't matter if you are human or alien or anything else. That's a big no for everyone."

He had to give his statement at the local station, but thankfully it was fast due to the many people recording the whole thing. He didn't place any charges against her, but he was sure many others would make Leslie Willis realize she had done something foolish the next morning. For the moment, she was screaming her lungs out in the cell where they were keeping her. When he got to his turn for patrol Kal El gave him a tired look. They both knew Leslie, Godfrey, and all of those like them would try to turn this around.

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When he got to school everyone stared at him and whispered about the video that went viral. Some laughed, others sneered (he guessed they were Leslie's sympathizers), and others looked like they wanted to talk to him but didn't dare because of the company he kept. That morning he realized he appreciated friends like Lori very much. She had not said a word about what happened the night before other than why she didn't ask her to join them. After that, it was all about their upcoming interview and about all the trouble her uncle gave her.

"So, like I told my uncle that I didn't need his bodyguards. I told him we could do this ourselves, but he was like 'you can't trust those capes!' could you believe that? I mean, they are not perfect, but they are nice guys, well with the exception of Superboy. He is such a stuck- am I boring you Conner?" she asked giving him a slight glare.

"Sorry, it was a rough week," he said truthfully.

"Yeah, you look gloomier than usual," she said with a devilish smirk.

"I am not gloomy," he said stopping his frowning, he wasn't gloomy.

"Right, right, but what got to you? The fame? The adulation? All the job offers that keep on coming even though you haven't graduated yet?" she said as they walked into their next class.

"I made a stupid bet with Clark," he couldn't tell her about everything else, so at least he could tell her this.

"I love stupid bets, what is it?" she asked really interested. After explaining the whole thing to her she started to laugh, "That's tall order for you! You don't pick on any of the girls that have been hounding you since you got here."

"No one has been doing such a thing," he had felt what hounding was like yesterday at the Daily Planet. He was sure he would have noticed.

"Don't take it so literally," she said shaking her head, "okay, there are at least three girls every class that keeps looking your way, but you never look their way."

"That's a lie," with his powers such thing wouldn't have escaped him, right?

"Oh Conner, Conner, you are too innocent for this world," he was reminded of Jude from the night before. The woman had sent him a quick message that she was okay. "But, there is one that always looks at you're the most. It's so cute, I have been this close to introducing you to each other, but I kept telling myself, no, he doesn't show interest in anyone, so he might actually be…"

"I told you I did have a girlfriend before," he told her checking on who was listening to them, not that he cared for gossip, but after yesterday he didn't want to try Lois' gossip theories at the school.

"It could still happen, you know?" she said with a shrug.

"Which girl?" he asked giving in.

"I only know her first name is Caitlin. She is sort of a loner so there aren't many people I can ask about her, but we have been in all the same classes since we started here. I think she is your type. You know; the quiet, brooding, stern type who stands for nonsense yet polite and sophisticated," she said raising her pinky as if she was drinking a cup of tea, "well, that's what everyone keeps saying."

"You are a terrible person," he said feeling like he was being dragged into another mess.

"It's all in the Luthor gene," she chuckled maliciously before noticing a few were turning around to look at her. She stopped with an awkward smile, "but I will say that's who you have to try to ask out."

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"Wait, what are you doing?" Lori said pulling on his sleeve when he started to walk towards where Caitlin was drinking juice and reading a book.

"I am going to ask her out," he told Lori, who had been making him become aware of the young woman in all of his classes. What helped him make up his mind was her worn out copy of 'The Death and Life of American Journalism' one of his favorite books.

"Just like that?" Lori asked wide eyed. She thought she would have to push him a little more to get him to ask her out.

"How else?" he said knowing he just took hours of fun and teasing from her.

He felt awkward as he walked towards the tree Caitlin was sitting against. There was no denying she was pretty. Her hair was a bright red and her eyes a turbulent green.

"Caitlin, right?" he asked the young woman.

"Ehm yeah," she said looking at him with vexation. Was Lori really sure she liked him?

"Can I sit?" he asked her deciding he might as well give it a try.

"If you must," she said carelessly before returning to her book.

"So, I was wondering if you had any plans for tomorrow," he asked sitting not too close or far from her.

"What is it to you?" she asked not looking up.

"I want to ask you out," there, he said it, and the world didn't explode.

"Why?" she asked with a frown looking up at him again.

"Well, because you see to be sane unlike most people around," it was true. He had finally noticed the other girls that Lori told him about, and he was a little disturbed by their behaviors.

"Sweet talk won't get you anywhere; now tell me the real reason why? Are you playing a prank on me with your friend?" she said motioning to Lori, who was sitting on a bench not too far. When the Luthor noted she had been caught staring at them, she waved at them like a fool.

"I do want to ask you out, and I do have an ulterior motive and if after explaining you want to throw that drink at me, I will accept it with dignity," though he wasn't looking forwards to it. Just a short talk told him Caitlin was the sort of girl who would really do that if offended.

"You are one polite idiot, you know that? Go ahead and tell me," she said closing her book and giving him her undivided attention. So, he explained to her and she listened without making questions. When done, she was quiet for a moment before using her book and hitting him on the top of the head. Not meanly but still… "That's a stupid bet; the two of you could end up with dates so no one really loses."

"In my defense, it was Clark's idea," he said rubbing the place she hit for appearances.

"Fine, there is a concert I want to go to that night. You can be like my bodyguard. I saw you receive that bottle to the back of the head and didn't even flinch, so you can't tell me you can't take a punch or two," she said smiling for the first time though it was a smile of self-congratulations, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

"Woohoo!" shouted Lori from the bench.

"She is not coming, is she?" Caitlin asked him.

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"You really are going on a date?" Clark asked him.

"Yes, that's the bet, right?" he said fixing his hair not to look too much like Superboy's but definitely not all Conner Kent.

"I don't believe it," Clark said as he fixed his tie.

"I will take pictures. What about you?" he said with a smug smile. Caitlin had been right, it had been a stupid bet.

"Dinner and show," Clark summarized.

"So, is it someone from work?" he asked curiously.

"You will see," Clark said with a self-satisfied smile

"The two of you should be ashamed for roping those women into dates just because of a bet," Kara said from her door.

"I told her about it and she was fine with it," Conner said to her.

"Me too," Clark said.

"You can't be serious," she stared at them incredulously.

"Sorry for not fulfilling your quotas of drama," he couldn't help saying

"I still want you to tell me everything when you get back… actually, no don't tell me everything just the bits where you two mess up," she said before locking her door.

"It's always nice to have the support of family, isn't it?" he said with a short laugh.

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"Okay, that has to be cheating," he said as he was faced with a smiling Diana Prince, also known as Wonder Woman wearing a beautiful dress for the night.

"We said no rules," Clark said in his defense.

"But… but…" he said as Diana took the copilot seat.

"C'mon Clark or we will miss the first act," she called giving him a gentle smile to not take it to heart. It wasn't unheard of the League members to do things like this from time to time as friends.

"Oh," but the man of steel faltered on his steep but didn't turn back.

"Oh what?" he asked quietly.

"Behind you," Clark said getting on the car, "don't stay out too late."

"And be a gentleman, or else," Wonder Woman said before they drove away.

Slowly, he turned around and saw Lois standing at the entrance of their building. As if they had a mind of their own, his senses locked on her and what he felt was a horrible ache. He walked to her and offered her a weak smile.

"They are just friends," he said to her.

"Who says I care. I just wanted to see if he would lose the bet," she said before she started to walk away. The pain kept on growing.

"He still has feelings for you," he walked after her.

"I am with someone else, remember? I don't need your pity," she said walking faster to her car which was parked not too far.

"Lois, I am sorry," he said when she reached her car. Her hand stayed on the handle but didn't move, "but you knew he would not wait forever."

"I told you I don't care!" she said getting into her car in a rush. He stood frozen where he was helpless as he saw the tears threatened to roll down her face. He was still connected to her and her emotions. Her chest hurt, she wanted a smoke though she quit years ago at Clark's insistence, she wanted to speak to someone, but there was a knot in her throat, but overall she was confused by her feelings. After taking a deep she drove away, not sparing him a glance, but still wishing he hadn't come into her life.

After that, he wasn't sure if the pain in his chest was hers or his own.


	35. Interview Time

_**Interview Time**_

True to her word, Caitlin Fairchild treated him no better than a bodyguard. He drove them to the concert in his motorcycle all the while complaining why he didn't get a car instead. There was no way she didn't understand how amazing motorcycles were so he ignored her. They made it to the concert too early at her demand to get a good place. It was annoying because he knew they could have waited until the last minute and she would still have used him to get to the front of the concert. Even though the event hadn't started, she made him carry her on his shoulder and carelessly pulled his hair as it turned out she had a terrible equilibrium. He was just about to put her down and leave when the lights were dimmed and she held to his head no better than a frightened monkey.

"Don't drop me."

He resigned himself to staying until the bands took a break though he wasn't sure that would happen in this concert. He had gone to a few concerts with his friends at their insistence years back, but the set up was different. This was somewhat smaller and with a lot less space between bodies. He had seen the names of some of the bands in the way in but had no idea who they were and the clothing of those attending told him at least that it wasn't the usual music he listened to.

A fast electric beat started to play and people screamed with excitement as the lights became slightly brighter to reveal the band which consisted of two men. Definitely not the kind of music he listened to but not unbearable. As the beat started to pick up Catlin started to jump on his shoulder and pull his hair even harder. Thank Rao for invulnerability.

"Move like you have a soul," she told him as she kept jumping. He was the only one in the crowd that wasn't following the rhythm.

_Workin' your fingers to the bone  
Driving you mad and you should've known  
Wrap it up baby I'm takin' you home,  
Get off your throne  
I want you alone_

_Take just a little bit of time  
Just to make you feel right  
Just enough to ease the bite  
Hit the lights_

_You've got pressure dripping off your shoulders  
Let me be the one to relieve it.  
Lets get unprofessional  
Don't you know it's gonna' feel much better with_

_(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Just a little bit of  
(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Is what you need_

_(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Just a little bit of  
(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Is what you need_

_Feeling the tension, feeling the stress  
I've got a motion I wanna' confess  
Looking so good when your hair is a mess  
I'm tearing the buttons right off of your dress  
(OH)  
Working you overtime  
I'm getting you over the line  
I'm climbing your ladder and making you better  
Cos' it's what you need_

_You've got pressure dripping off your shoulders  
Let me be the one to relieve it.  
Lets get unprofessional  
Don't you know it's gonna' feel much better with_

_(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Just a little bit of  
(OH)  
Just a little bit of  
(AH)  
Is what you need  
_

"There might be hope for you!" she shouted as the next song started to play. He realized he was jumping up and down with the rest of the crowd. No group or DJ played more than two songs. Groups started throwing glow in the dark paint at those near the stage. It was the main reason why Caitlin wanted to be carried. He wished she would have warned him. The phosphorescent paint, the led lights, the laser shows, and the fast hearts were infectious. As the concert progressed he realized it wasn't really a concert but a rave, a really big one. He had heard of them but never thought he would be in one.

_And let beat control your body_

_And let beat control your body_

_And let beat control your body_

_And let beat control your body_

_And let beat_

_And let beat_

_And let beat…_

When the whole thing was over his hair was a mess sticking in all directions and stiff with paint, his feet actually hurt, and he couldn't stop his heart from beating at the rhythm of the songs he heard.

"You look like you discovered the world," Caitlin said laughing at his still shocked expression. "I am guessing that was your first."

"There was rock," he recognize some of the rhythms, but they were different in a way he couldn't describe.

"Repeat after me, progressive rock," she continued to laugh before telling him of the other types of music that were played. It was an event where different experimenting DJs and band came to test their rhythms. You could be listening to a one hit wonder or the next big thing. The whole thing had been a mesh of Progressive genres, House, trance, Balearic beat, Dubstep, Electronica and Electronic (though he didn't get the difference) and many others he had never heard of. He drove her back home and realized he had forgotten completely of the interview the next day. It was strange, but he actually felt relaxed.

When she started to get off the motorcycle their paint soaked clothes made the most horrible of sounds before they stared at each other shock then they laughed.

"So," she said after a moment, "does this mean the mysterious Conner Kent will take me out again?"

"Fine," he said simply.

"Oh, don't act like you are doing me a favor," she said punching his shoulder and getting another strange sound that got them laughing. "Break a leg tomorrow," she said before she walked into her building.

He didn't care that his clothes were ruined, or that it would be a pain to remove the paint from his motorcycle, he had a great time. After parking his motorcycle in the building's garage, his phone rang. He already knew who it was and answered, otherwise she might even show up at his door demanding for details.

"Hey Lori," he said casually.

"Don't 'Hey Lori,' me. Spill it," she demanded.

"I had a good time," he said with a verbal shrug.

"For a wannabe journalist you suck at reporting," she said with a sigh. "C'mon!" she begged, "I won't be able to sleep!"

"Lori," he sighed, "I really did have a great time and I am thankful that you told me about Caitlin-"

"But I am getting in the way, I get it," she said saddened doing one of her one-eighty mood swings.

"No," he said a little too fast. She had to be at her best tomorrow and making her upset could throw everything off. He rarely saw necessary to talk about himself, and didn't get why other people were so eager to spill everything out, "but it's something that's difficult for me to talk about."

"Oh, Ohh! Okay, I get it!" from her tone, she got a whole different idea. "Sorry! Well not sorry for you, but oh..."

"Lori!" he said exasperatedly.

"Don't worry! I won't ask again," she said before hanging up.

He looked at his phone as if it was his worst enemy before swallowing his pride and taking a picture of himself using the elevator's mirror wall. He didn't smile or pose. It was embarrassing enough he was taking the picture knowing it might be seen by the rest of his friends.

'Not what you think,' he typed on the message before sending it to Lori. Next thing she did was spam his phone with countless laughing faces. Then, she took his paint stained picture and added a caption 'this is me happy'. Befriend a Luthor, expect to be mocked. He made sure he didn't get the floors dirty with the glowing paint though he knew it would be an interesting sight until the floor got cleaned. When he opened his apartment door ready for a shower and met four pairs of shocked eyes, he knew his night was far from over.

"Give me a hug!" shouted Bart before rushing at him with open arms.

He forgot about these guys and agreeing to let them stay at their place for the night

"Don't say a word," he said giving them measured stare as he kept Bart from latching to him with his powers.

"We are not," Tim said trying not to laugh.

"What happened to you?" Jaime asked shocked more than anything. He was in the kitchen with Kara, probably helping with a late dinner.

"He went on a date," Kara said looking at him as if he was a stranger.

"Not what you expected?" Tim asked still trying not to laugh, but failing miserably.

888

It wasn't even the crack of dawn and the he was already up and going over the program for the interview. He was reading over Lori's questions when someone knocked on his door obnoxiously fast. Bart would regret it if he left a mark.

"Come in," he said as he packed all that he would need for the interview.

"You are up, crash. Look, we ate all your food last night. So, we are going to get more. Want to come?" Bart said finishing with a wide smile.

"Give me a minute," he said double checking he had all he would need.

"M'gann is here," Tim said appearing at the door.

He already knew she was there. He had sensed her a while ago. When entering the living room he found the mess from the night before gone. Actually, the place was cleaner than before. He spotted Jaime fretting over his reflection though his bug suit would hide him completely. M'gann was next to him trying to calm him down. She had taken her old human form. It made him want to grind his teeth and at the same time talk about the old times.

"You are early," he said before she turned around shocked. As if she hadn't known he was already there. Why did she try to hard to appear human? He thought she had already accepted the part of her that was a white Martian.

"Good morning to you too," she said with a sharp smile. Her canines were long. Maybe he was wrong. "I wanted to get an early start."

"Much appreciated M'gann," Tim said giving him a reproaching look. He didn't apologize. Tim didn't fully understand how their powers set them at edge when near one another.

"Great timing! We were just going out for breakfast," Bart said either not being able to read the mood or trying to diffuse it. With him, it could be either one.

He took them to a small dinner in the block. They all ordered but then looked like they lost their appetite for the exception of Bart. As they poked at their food, M'gann went over her copy of the questions for the interview. In rare occasions, she asked him for clarification. She knew his style even before he choose to become a journalist. She wanted to be a lawyer though he wondered if she would really practice it.

"Gart wanted to come," she said as they left the dinner, "he really wants to join you."

"Eventually, he will," Tim said "he just needs to be patient."

"Patient? That's like asking Bart to slow down when eating," Jaime said dragging his feet. It was easy to tell from the bags under his eyes and cranky temper that he didn't sleep much.

"Not crash _hermano, _I can totally slow down. I just choose not to," Bart said with fake pride.

"You know there is a reason why you and Flash are banned from all you can eat buffets, right?" Tim said which even got him to laugh. It was a story heard at least once every New Year's party when they tried to keep the speedster from eating everything in sight.

The anxiety over the group started to diffuse.

"Conner!" and they were all on their toes again. Lori was waving at them enthusiastically.

"I will see you at the studio," he told them before going to her.

"I still can't believe she has Luthor's genes," Jaime said, "she is hot and not in the evil way."

"I don't want to hear it," Tim said trying to pull Jaime and Bart away from staring.

"She is pretty," he heard M'gann say before he tuned them out.

"Who are they?" Lori asked trying to catch another look at them.

"Some friends who are visiting from out of town, ready?" he asked pulling her wondering mind from them.

"Never been more in my life," she said emanating anxiety. There was also some sadness.

"Everything will be okay," he told her as they walked towards the car The New Daily Planet had lent them.

"God, I must look terrible. How do you know?" she said with a tight-lipped smile, "nothing ever goes right."

"I just do," he said. In his short life, he knew things ever went as planned but there was always a way to turn them around.

"Conner Kent, are you being nice?" she asked teasingly, "Caitlin really did an impression on you, didn't she Picasso Boy?"

"No one will ever believe you," he said in his most serious tone. Lori almost died of laughter.

888

The studio was next to The New Daily Planet building. Outside the studio stood an immense crowd waiting for the young heroes which worried him. They were still hours away from the interview and he could see a lot more people arriving. At the edges standing like a pair of sore thumbs were Clark and Lois.

"Thank God," Lori said spotting them too and rushing towards them. He was sure Clark had been pampering Lori while helping her with her project. Now, the young woman stuck to him like a defenseless kitten.

"Wait," he told her, "look at them."

He didn't need to look. He could hear them clearly. They were arguing again about the choice Clark made to leave the Planet almost two years ago. Lois, who would be taking White's place, wanted Clark back as a reporter. She was offering him all the freedom he wanted in his articles.

"Say," Lori said with a frown, "have those two ever…"

"Never," he said immediately feeling guilt.

For a short while, Clark and Lois had been together, but because of him they both got their memories altered. NOWHERE, the real organization responsible for his creation was the one to do it. For some reason, there was a particular list of individuals who must not know the truth about his real origin and purpose, whatever they were. These people couldn't be killed, so they changed the memories that led to their discoveries. Luthor didn't remember he had been close to finding who they were or that at some point he believed to be his other genetic donor. Lois didn't remember finding their secret identities and joining him in his search and in the way falling completely for Clark. Clark also got his memories changed to match hers though he was not involved as deeply in his search.

He didn't doubt NOWHERE were the ones to block most of his memories when he was weakened from fighting H'El. His new powers protected him from new memories being planted just barely. When he got his memories back, he had recognized the ghostly touch of someone's psychic tampering who was not H'El. He hated NOWHERE knew who they were and could probably do this anytime they wanted. It made him realize he couldn't involve them again or anyone else. He knew it was selfish to ask but to protect Lois, he asked Clark to not tell her. He had given his big brother an idea of what happened but also told him to not get involved.

At the time, the only other person who knew was Tim and he had asked him to stop helping him after their last talk. He didn't want his memories altered, especially since he was leading the Titans. He was one of his two backup plans. If they got to him, Tim would remind him of the truth. If that failed, he had given Blue his memory stick which only his scarab had access to. Not that it would help much if he couldn't find a new lead. All his other leads ran dry in the past few days and it was maddening. Dr. Spence hadn't sent him any more messages or clues. He feared they had finally gotten to her.

He had investigated some of the names from the list and knew who most of them were. Still, he didn't get what the missing daughter of Clue Master (though the name was obnoxiously relevant) had to do with anything. Then there was Cassandra Cain, who turned out to be the latest member of the Bats. All he knew about her was that she didn't speak and had been trained by the League of Assassins. Some of the people in the list like Lois, Lori, and Iris West were reporters and had a connection to capes and him.

"Earth to Conner," he had spaced out as they made their way in and led into their dressing rooms, "are you even listening to me?"

"Sorry Ms. Lane," he said staring at her through the mirror. Her emotions and words from the day before came back to him. She wished he had never entered her life.

"I told you- never mind," she said looking away from him before fidgeting with her phone, "I am guessing you won't be joining the Planet after you graduate, right?"

"I don't know yet," it was true he hadn't made up his mind.

"Right," she said rolling her eyes at him. She didn't believe him. He didn't blame her. With what was going on with her and Clark, the rational thing to do would be not to get involved. "Your clothes are in the closet, get changed, the makeup artist will be here in a few minutes." And then she left.

"You are distracted," Miss Martian said becoming visible. She had been in the room for a few minutes.

"Read my mind," he said standing up though he knew that was now impossible.

"For someone who asked me a favor, you don't seem very thankful," she said as she started to shift to look like him wearing the clothes he was supposed to wear for the interview. The clothing was casual, something Lois and Cat agreed on. They wanted to emphasize in his and Lori's youth. This was not just about the Titans, but also their debut as reporters or fresh meat like Cat tended to call them.

"Sorry," he said before taking a deep breath, "I am just nervous."

"I won't change the questions, I promise," Miss Martian said rotating her neck and getting in persona. "I am morally superior to all of you," kind of getting into persona.

"I don't do that," he said with a twitching eyebrow.

"Perfect," she said sarcastically. Okay, that was closer.

"You saw Lori, she is also my friend," and the young reporter was very observant, so she would notice if he behaved differently.

"I know," she said with a shrug, "not someone I would have thought you would befriend, but she checks out."

"You checked her mind?" of course she would.

"Only briefly; she thinks you believe she is annoying and is worried that you won't be her friend anymore after the interview since the project would be over. It's sort of cute," Miss Martian said with a mischievous smile.

"Treat her the same way I used to treat you. That means to let her talk until she tires and just nod your head even if you are not listening," he returned as he took off his clothes to only leave behind his suit.

"Jerk," she said sitting in front of the vanity mirror, "now, get out of my dressing room; someone is coming to finally make me pretty," she said still wearing his face and voice.

"M'gann," he said before she looked up at him, "thanks." She nodded with a fleeting smile before he left.

He went to the roof of a building nearby to wait for the rest. Miss Martian would be doing the interview in his place so his identity wouldn't be found. He could have asked Martian Manhunter, but he wanted to heal his friendship with her as much as possible. Maybe it didn't seem that way at first glance, but he missed her as a friend.

"You wrote half of the questions. You shouldn't be so worried," Red Robin said landing the Super-cycle with the rest of their team on the roof.

"I am not," he lied, "get ready."

"Hey guess what? The Team invited the rest to watch the whole thing at the Watchtower's screening room!" Kid Flash said looking more nervous than him.

"They are probably trying to convince some of them to join them instead," Blue said crossing his arms.

"Or they could be convincing some of the Team to join us," Red Robin before Blue smirked.

"You knew," he said to their leader.

"I talked to some of them yesterday about it. They know what to do," Red Robin said confidently. It made him wonder exactly what went through his mind.

The time finally arrived for them to make their entrance. He scanned the area for any potent weapons before he and Blue flew ahead followed by Kid Flash and Red Robin in the Supercycle. At once cameras started shooting pictures and videos of them. They were no longer afraid he would fry them. They believed the risk was worth it. When close enough Kid and Red jumped off the Supercycle. Then the Super-cycle flew away to a place where it would be noticed. They landed at the entrance of the building where Cat and Lois were waiting for them. The two women competed to get a word out of them almost pushing each other out of the way.

"It's so crash to be here!" they let Kid Flash take over in their end, "I mean like how often do you get to get to meet two of the most beautiful women in the news! Selfie!" he said putting his arms around their shoulders before the cameras started shooting.

"It's a selfie only if you are the one taking the picture," Blue said with a sigh before the cameras turned his way. "Shoot," he said before Kid Flash snuck into the shot.

"Blue, I feel special!" Kid Flash shouted getting laughs from everyone.

"Yeah, because the speedster thing didn't do it before, right?" Blue said before more cameras started recording.

"What about you two?" Cat asked him and Red Robin who stood to the side.

"Waiting for those two to finish their ego trips before we can start ours," he said looking at his friends. It seemed Kid Flash had convinced to Blue to do some poses for the cameras.

"Ms. Grant, Ms. Lane," Red Robin said respectfully before turning to Blue and Kid Flash who made the crowd laugh again, "enough, we are on a schedule."

"Aww! So bossy" Kid Flash said with a pout, "let me just get everyone an autograph of yours truly!" It took him about five seconds to sign every signature book, picture, and forehead from the crowd.

"Thank you," Blue said as he joined them.

"Not fond of interviews?" Lois asked trying to stir a reaction from him though it was not one she expected.

"Not used to them," Blue responded somewhat embarrassed, "though some people are just naturals."

"That's me!" Kid Flash shouted raising his hand.

"We hadn't noticed. Calm down before you vibrate through the floor," he said to the speedster believing he might actually do it.

"Lead the way," Red Robin said calmly to the two seasoned reporters.

The two women still didn't know who Red Robin was and gave each other a questioning look before leading them through the studio to where the real interview would take place. All the while Red Robin fed them statistic about young Metas around the world, their increasing number, and involvement in the world. Kid Flash and Blue kept the crowds entertained while he smiled at anyone who took notice of him, who were more people than he would have liked. They finally made it to the side of the stage where the fans were kept from following and the cameras stopped.

"That wasn't so bad," Kid Flash said before he started shaking again.

"Dude, your feet!" Blue said before they noticed Bart had vibrated himself to his knees through the floor.

"I am fine, I am fine!" Kid Flash jumped before landing on the floor, "see?"

"Oh my gosh! It's them!" he heard Lori before they spotted her and Miss Martian shaped as him walking towards them.

"Ms. Luthor," he said politely to which she cringed, "Conner," he said in a more familiar tone.

"Ready Kon El, guys?" 'Conner' asked them.

"We better be. Kid Flash is close to a cardiac attack," Blue said bringing the hyperventilating Kid Flash a bottle of water. "_Hombre, _and I thought I was nervous."

"_Hermano,_ I don't think I am going to make it," Kid said before he picked him up from the floor, "sorry!"

"The interview will start in ten minutes. There is a snack table that way," 'Conner' told them, "any questions?"

"No other than the ones we already agreed on," Red Robin said.

"Of course," Lori said with a nervous smile before they excused themselves. "My God, I thought I was going to faint," he heard Lori say to Miss Martian.

"They might be capes, but they are also children. Don't worry so much," Miss Martian transformed as he said to Lori.

"Don't call us kids," he called out to them before they both turned shocked. People really had short memories when it came to their enhanced hearing. He gave them a measured glare.

"Well, they are still younger than us," Miss Martian said awkwardly to the still shocked Lori before they left their sight.

"But my name is Kid Flash," Bart complained before looking worried, "am I out of the team?"

"No, you are just losing your mind," Blue told his friend before leading him to the snack table.

"I thought you were supposed to be the friendly one," Red Robin told him as they followed them.

"I am," he said with a shrug, "and I am also the protective and nurturing big brother of the group. You are our serious, cool headed and overly mature leader. Kid Flash is our lovable, funny, and careless goof. Blue is our shy, awkward and sincere wallflower."

"You have been thinking this for too long," Red said with a shake of his head, "We are never doing something like this again."

"Agreed," Kid Flash moaned between bites.

"Five minutes!" someone shouted.

"Remember, no talking over each other and try to be as serious as possible depending on the question. We already showed how relatable we are out there. Let's not turn this into a circus," Red Robin told them.

"Oh my God, what if someone recognizes me from school!" Blue said, running his hands down his face and looking for the nearest exit.

"No one can see your face," he reminded him.

"Right, right," Blue said, "sorry. We should have rehearsed, why didn't we rehearse?"

The call for two minutes was made before Lori and 'Conner' made their entrance.

"Wait! I thought we had two minutes!" Kid Flash said latching to him and looking at him with frightened eyes.

"For our entrance," he reminded him. He went over the schedule with them last night.

"Hi, I am Lori," said Lori in a cheerful voice.

"And I am Conner," said 'Conner' in a friendly but much serious tone.

"We are really happy for this special interview we are bringing you courtesy of ClarkCatropolis, and the New Daily Planet communications," Lori said as they made their way to the center of the stage.

"Without further ado, they are not kids, they are not the League," Miss Martian varied from the script. He sensed Lori become tense but kept on smiling, "here are the **teen** Titans!"

"That Martian," he said with gritted teeth as Kid Flash rushed to the stage as they had planned. He made multiple turns around the stage before stopping before the watching crowd and cameras.

"Hello world! I am Kid Flash!" Kid Flash went on to buy him some time to calm down, "I know I said Ms. Lane and Ms. Grant was some of the most beautiful women in the news, but Lori, you might just leave them in the dust. You are not my type," he said turning to 'Conner' lastly.

"Thank you?" 'Conner' said with a raised eyebrow while Lori blushed.

"Could be worse," Red Robin said breaking from his serious persona for a moment to laugh.

"Don't say that," Blue Beetle said taking a deep breath before opening his wings and flying into the stage getting gasps and cheers from the crowd. He waved awkwardly at the crowd before landing in front Lori and 'Conner'. He was about to introduce himself.

"This is my friend Blue Beetle, but we call him Blue," Kid Flash said getting in the way "great name, right?"

"_Ese_," Blue said slightly exasperated.

"Not crash, sorry!" Kid Flash said scratching the back of his head. The two of them went on to explain what 'crash' and 'mode' was. Well, Bart did the explaining too fast and Blue then had to do it again at a pace everyone could follow.

"I am next," he said before adopting his much practiced friendly smile before flying towards the stage. "You done?" he asked them, his smile becoming askew; dammit "Red is waiting."

"Here comes the mode," Kid Flash whispered to Blue indiscreetly.

"Enough of that you two," he said taking a more brotherly tone.

"Sorry," Blue said with a nervous smile.

"These two seem to give you trouble," 'Conner' said.

"Only in their nights off, they are very reliable otherwise," he said slightly defensive.

"He likes us, he really does," Kid Flash said trying to hug him, but he stopped him with his powers, "aww! One day!"

"Red Robin, correct?" 'Conner' asked surprising most of those in the stage when they realized he was already in the stage. He had spent enough time around Bats to know how to hide his shock.

"Let's start," Red Robin said taking the main seat in the stage on their side.

They all took their seats before Lori started with the interview.

"All of you seem so young-"

"Before you go on Ms. Luthor," Red Robin interrupted in an even tone. "The main reason we agreed to this interview is to make a statement."

"Promise we won't leave afterward," Kid Flash said looking at the cameras.

"We were associated to the League, but we decided it was time to modify our methods. We no longer answer to them and they will not make any statements in our behalf. The Titans was formed to reach to others to create a team where skills can be developed for the wellbeing of the world and the individuals living in it. We are not opponents of the League or the authorities, but we stand our ground as a single group willing to cooperate when needed," Red Robin kept an even tone through the whole thing, but he could sense he was shaking in the inside. The previous night he lost count of the times he practiced those words when he thought no one else was listening. It was ridiculous how they could face monsters every other day, but all of them seemed to be extremely uncomfortable around cameras.

Silence reined in the whole place for a moment.

"You may start your interview," Red Robin said still using a mask of calm before it became awkward.

"All of you are teenagers," 'Conner' pointed out, "do you really believe you are mature enough to lead a team separate from the League?"

"Age is irrelevant for us," he said giving them an intrigued look, as if their question was a strange one, "we don't act like everyday teenagers because we have experienced things everyday teenagers don't."

"Our circumstances and the lives we have chosen to live are not ordinary," Blue said with a stringed smile, "we had to grow up faster."

"I know we act like kids our age around you, but that's only because we are not in the field," Kid Flash said no longer smiling or talking too fast. "The League taught us, and we have learned through our own experience that doing things those our age do are also necessary for us to be at our best. Aside that everyone likes to have fun every once in a while."

"We have trained for years to govern our abilities and the skills essential for the job. We trained with the finest, but it's time for us to stand in our own and to instill on others as we were. We are here to tell you," Red Robin said no longer at the reporters but those watching beyond the cameras, "you are not alone and we understand. If you were made, born, turned, or choose to lead this life. We are here to help."

"So you are looking to provide help to other Metas," Lori said and he sensed she felt very disturbed by this idea, but he couldn't understand why.

"Yes and what has the League and others like them have taught us. Use your skills and powers for the benefits of others," he told her trying to get an insight of what she was thinking but Miss Martian pushed him back. He didn't understand why she was doing that.

"I know back stage you said not to call you kids, but you have to admit it sounds very farfetched that someone as young as you will be able to hold a team on your own," 'Conner' said taking a moment to look at each one of them.

"We are not saying it's going to be easy, we are bound to make mistakes just like everyone else. The League didn't start when they fought the Appellaxians, the Watchtower didn't just one day appear up there. It's a process of organization, development and revision that never stops," Red Robin said keeping calm. This was definitely something they hadn't counted coming from Miss Martian. They all knew this wasn't just about their team anymore. Garfield wanted in and she really wanted to know if they were serious about it. She just had such great timing to act on it.

"Are we going to be seeing more scenes like the ones you left in San Francisco when you took down the Escorpiones?" Lori asked.

"_Quien todo lo quiere, todo lo pierde,"_ (He who wants everything loses everything) Blue said with a bitter laugh.

"Heh," he heard Kid Flash laugh at the irony. Of course, they couldn't have everything and they knew it but it didn't mean it was easy to accept.

"I mean, ehm," Blue said rubbing the back of his head. In the watching audience, he could hear some people whispering about the fact that Blue had just spoken fluent Spanish.

"They just wanted to have fun," he said pulling him out of the awkward situation.

"They? All of us," Kid Flash laughed giving him a slight shove with his elbow.

"What do you mean?" Lori asked as the pieces started to fall together.

"Well, that's the same day we chose the name of our team and we thought about celebrating like 'kids' our age for once. So we took the night off to go to an underage club. We came across those guys by chance and well…" he said not hiding his embarrassment though he wanted to. He and the rest had debated about telling the truth. At the end, they had decided to give them a partial truth. No need for them to know they had trouble looking after one kid, even if it was Batman's kid.

"Being in our meant it was inevitable we would be making choices like that one. We could have walked away from confrontation and used a covert strategy, but I decided we needed to tackle the issue head on," Red Robin said implying his role as leader further.

"We are glad you did. We didn't find the kids until we already had started," Kid Flash said with a frown unable to hide how much the scene had disturbed him. "The moment we found them we knew we couldn't stop until we made sure there were no others in the same circumstance." Had they really just gone on because of Damian, or was it all them? Were the lies becoming their truth? It would have to be.

"It was a real word shaker for us," Blue said though he had already faced a warehouse filled with men and women slaughtered back in his hometown no long after his father got shot. "We no longer were doing covert missions where we rarely ever saw civilians."

"Stop being so blue, Blue" Kid Flash said leaning back on his chair, "we cleaned house."

"So you tried to be normal and ended up taking a whole drug organization. I don't know if to call that bad luck," 'Conner' said.

"So, you don't get the chance to do things like that often?" Lori asked unable to hide her curiosity.

"We have tried in other occasions, but always with similar results," Red Robin admitted.

"So, what do you actually do with your free time? Do you have any kind of hobbies?" Lori asked.

"Blue cooks," Kid Flash said getting more laughs.

"And you raid my kitchen every chance you get. I don't know where to hide the food anymore," Blue said with a sigh.

"You really like to cook?" Lori asked. What did people think were their hobbies? M'gann also liked to cook. Tim liked to watch horror movies. Kal El liked to try new foods. There were people like Bart who tried to learn about the 'normal' ways of people and working on impossible quantum physics formulas, but there weren't that many like him.

"Among other things," Kid Flash whispered loudly at Lori.

"Like?" she asked before Kid Flash whispered to her ear. Her eyes turned wide, "really?"

"Would you answer for yourself?" Blue said pulling Kid Flash back to sit down.

"And when he was a kid he wanted to be a dentist," Kid Flash said with a wide smile, "we need to get you a cavity themed villain for your birthday."

"And you wanted to be a wrestler," Blue muttered.

"Not just any wrestler! El Kid Flasho! I already got the mask," Kid Flash said pointing at his face. He couldn't help running a hand down his face. This time, he didn't have to fake the smile as Kid Flash stood up on his chair and raised his arms. Those watching in the studio went crazy. "And you are the _Azul,_ my rival!"

"_Dios mio¸ _I knew I should have never shown you those videos," Blue said looking up at the sky for help. That was not an act.

"You are just…" Kid started to say before trying to put a headlock on him, "jealous because I…" of course he wasn't having much luck. He kept his face blank before yawning "would make a great…a little help?" he said to him dramatically.

"Okay," he said capturing him in a headlock easily.

"Not fair!" he started slapping his arm fast getting everyone to laugh at what was supposed to be a friendly picture. But he knew Kid Flash hated it. He hated being held down even during training. At first he had thought it was a speedster thing, but when he saw the fright in his eyes he was being reminded of something else. Something still haunted his dreams even after they went to save his time.

"What about you Superboy?" 'Conner' asked him.

Of course, Miss Martian knew what he liked to do in his free time besides reading but everything else was a clear give away of his other identity. He liked to take care of his red Indian Chief Chieftain motorcycle and go for rides even though he could fly. He liked reading old well written and world changing news articles. He also liked to fly to the Kent farm every once in a while to make sure the place didn't fall apart and tackle the issue of the tractor Clark refused to throw away.

"I have a dog," he said using the most innocent answer possible as he released Kid Flash.

"You mean Wolf? Wolf is a wolf" Blue said.

"You have a pet wolf?" Lori asked him shocked.

"A bad guy experimented on him so when we defeated him I took Wolf home with me. No one else had the time or strength to train him," and he was a lab rat just like him.

"You trained a mutated wolf?" Lori still couldn't get over her shock.

"He likes to pick up strays," Kid Flash said before showing them a picture of Wolf with them from a few months ago. He was just sitting surrounded by them.

"Aww!" said the crowd and he died a little inside. His wolf was not cute.

"What about you Red Robin?" 'Conner' asked.

"You don't want to know," Kid Flash said at once.

"But-" 'Conner' tried to insist.

"No," Red Robin said calmly.

"Alright?" 'Conner' backed out, but only because they just received the signal of one of the producers that they were going for a commercial pause, "we are not letting it go just like that folks. After the pause, we will keep asking those questions everyone has always wanted to ask." But not really because a lot of what people wanted to know was just too private.

"And we are off the air!" announced the producer before all of them for the exception of Red Robin sighed.

"I need food," Kid said leaving for the snack table.

"That wasn't so bad," Blue laughed nervously.

"I… I know we said we would stay away from any topic that might reveal who you are, but can I ask you something off the record?" Lori said after turning off her microphone.

"Depends," Blue said with a worried frown.

"Well, it's clear you are bilingual, so you are human, right?" she asked the question Blue hated the most.

"Yes," he said with a crooked smile.

"And your ethnicity…" she pushed further.

"Off the record?" Blue asked.

"Blue, you don't have to," Red Robin told him.

"It would be nice for people to stop thinking I am a soldier from the Reach," Blue said extending his hand face down towards Lori. Then he pulled his armor just slightly to reveal his tan flesh, "all mine." It was only a moment, but it was all Lori needed. A wide smile appeared on her face "off the record."

"Off the record," she said with a nod before getting up. "I am going to my dressing room, I will be right back."

"Be back in a moment," 'Conner' said before 'she' left to talk to Lois who was calling him over.

"Blue," he saw the armored young man's hand shake slightly.

"I am fine," he said clenching his hand, "she can't really do anything with that but confirm to the world I am human."

And he knew the next questions would go deeper into just how human they were. He would have to emphasize on his human half and lie about not knowing who his other donor was. Red had to be careful not to reveal just how mortal he was. Kid Flash had to try not to be as strange when it came to his lacking understanding about people. Blue would have to deal with the suspicion of some people about him not being human though that would be a lot easier now. He relaxed back on his chair. Red Robin was watching him and studying his reaction. He knew he didn't like this a lot less than him. As an aspiring reporter, he wanted to expose the truth, but as Superboy he had to keep some secrets. They had been manipulating the interview from about just every angle and it felt more like an act than anything.

To make matters worse, he just sensed someone that just spelled trouble. He told Red Robin he would be right back and went to look for the man.

888

Lori walked as fast as possible towards her dressing room. She didn't really need to go, but she 'had' to go. She couldn't stand sitting in front of the capes for much longer. Everyone loved them, and she understood why. They were the next generation of heroes as much as she and Conner were the next generation of reporters. They were a lot charmer, funny, and open than the League about who they were and she knew it was all a lie. She could read it in the practice words and lack of negative language. No one was that nice. They were inserting truths but not giving it all away just like the Beetle only showed her his hand. She knew liars, one of the biggest one was in her family.

She sat in front of the vanity mirror and stared at herself. This was just the start of her career. She would play their game and afterward put everything behind her and build her career on her own accomplishments. Conner was probably the only friend she had in a very long time, but she regretted being so insistent about getting the interview. He had tried to warn her, but something changed and then he was all up for it. Had they told him something? Did he already know all of this was going on about them leaving the League's shadow? She didn't doubt it. He seemed so close and comfortable around them.

"Sweetie, I am so glad I found you," and to make things worse her uncle was there.

"Hello uncle," she turned around on her chair and smiled at him just as her mother told her.

"You look exhausted, are you sure you can keep going with this?" he said placing his hands on her shoulders and looking at her with eyes as green as hers.

"Yes uncle, I am still a little shocked, that's all. I never thought they could be kind of normal," she said placing a hand on one of his.

"Oh my dear child, you know that's a lie," she said giving her his usual condescending smile.

"I am not a child anymore," she said pushing his hand away. They had this conversation so many times she was sick and tired of it.

"I know, I know. You are a brave and strong young woman, but I just want you to know I will always be around if you need me," but he didn't really believe in her. He insisted she should do something else with her life, like learning the business or something more artistic so that her family name would push her career forwards. Reporters, they loved to peck at him like vultures, his exact words to her when he first learned of her choice.

"I can do this on my own," she said standing her ground. Had her father done the same before he disappeared? She didn't believe he left.

"No doubt, you are a Luthor after all," and her uncle had insisted she and her mother used that name instead so they would be protected. What a joke. All it had done through her life was separate her from everyone.

"Luthor, I didn't expect to see you here," and her savior was there. There was something so reassuring about Clark Kent that made her feel safe about what she was doing. He was never condescending to her and if he saw something could be improved he told her but didn't push his ideas on her. No wonder Conner was such a cool headed guy.

"Neither did I, since you left the Planet, Kent. I am surprised Edge hasn't called security on you," her uncle said trying to look down on Clark, but the humble reporter didn't even shake like most men did before her uncle. He was the kind of reporter she wanted to be.

"That man doesn't care for anything that doesn't make him richer," Clark said in that same calm tone she had heard Conner use many times before.

"Your words are as sharp in person as those you write. After knowing each other for long and you reporting on my company I am surprised we haven't sat to have a one on one chat," and the idea of her uncle being alone with Clark scared her. She feared he would be taken away from her life too. Knowing Conner, he would probably go after her uncle if that happened and then she would lose him too.

"Now, that would be pointless wouldn't it? Actions speak louder than words," Clark said with a polite smile that got on her uncle's nerves.

"Always less a displeasure than running across Ms. Lane," her uncle said with a sharp smile. "Well, I will be leaving my beloved niece in your care now. Like your nephew, I believe you will look after her," or else went unsaid.

"My cousin," Clark corrected, "and have no doubt I will."

After he was gone, she waited a moment before she could release her breath. Clark Kent laughed not meanly at her.

"God, I hate-" she started to say.

"He does care for you Lori," said the man that had just pretty much just called her uncle for what he was.

"How can you say that after all he has done?" she had read his articles on the strange businesses her uncle had over the years and how some things just didn't add up. It had cost her uncle literally millions to repair the damage. Yet, here was the man still standing when many others would have already given in into fear or bribery.

"Just like those kids are not all good, your uncle isn't all bad, though I wish-" what did this good to honest man see in someone like her uncle that she didn't? "Never mind, how are you feeling?"

"Better, they are very intimidating," she admitted.

"Part of what they do is in the image. I doubt they really behave like that. They probably are just as scared of you and Conner," and she had seen with her own eyes they were. Well, for the exception of Red Robin. That boy showed no emotion whatsoever.

"Any advice?" she asked him.

"Follow your instincts," he told her for the thousandth time since he had started mentoring her. He trusted her and this helped more than he could imagine. He didn't see just another Luthor to be cautious around. "I better go check on Conner. He might not show it, but he can be a worrywart," and then he was gone. She envied Conner so much for having a cousin like Clark. She applied some of her make up again before leaving the dressing room in a better mood.

"-killed?" she stopped where stood. Around the corner of the hall, she heard Superboy's voice.

"Afraid you will have to save me again? Besides, they are not after my life," she heard her uncle say.

"They were able to tamper with Superman's memories too; you know how dangerous they are better than anyone," someone did what? She covered her mouth to keep herself from bursting with questions.

"You are no match for them. Let me handle it. Tell me all you know on Dr. Spence. I can guarantee you that results will be delivered," her uncle was working with Superboy and it was related to the latest attack on his life? A shiver ran up her spine. She met him back on her uncle's building because he had been investigating the scene. How could she have overlooked that?!

"Just because we have a common enemy it doesn't mean I trust you, especially with her life," of course he wouldn't truth her uncle. She didn't blame him.

"For someone that's supposed to have my genes as well as the Boy Scout's you don't act like it," when she heard those words she had to lean against the wall. Her world was becoming twisted with so many secrets and lies. Her uncle was the dangerous person who made Superboy and carried his blood.

"Shut up," Superboy said with a sneer. He didn't want anyone to know. She didn't blame him, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt.

"I bet it has been a torture for you to think you carried your hero's genes as much as those of his greatest adversary," her uncle said without shame, but there was more than simple mockery in his words. She heard another secret between the lines.

"You are playing with fire," Superboy said before taking a deep breath, "you are right, they won't kill you. They will just wipe your mind again, but next time I won't tell you anything."

"I know better than to trust your kind," the words were filled with so much poison she had to close her eyes to keep from tearing up. She had always hoped not everything about what was said about her uncle wasn't true. That he didn't just hate the capes because they were different. But now she was hearing it. She also heard her uncle walking away. God, she hoped she didn't cross paths again with him for at least a week after this.

"I am sorry you had to hear that," she jumped where she stood before she spotted Superboy floating on the corner of the hall.

"You knew-" of course he knew! He had super-hearing but why didn't he say anything?

"I had to try to get more information from him. I couldn't stop," whoever Dr. Spence was, he wanted to protect her.

"It's that why you don't like me?" she asked him the first thing that came to mind. He looked shocked, the first true emotion she had seen him show before he frowned.

"I don't dislike you. I simply don't like it when people place themselves in needless danger," he told her.

"Are we related?" she had to make sure.

"That's complicated," he said with a sigh.

"I am learning today that a lot of things are," she said walking back to her dressing room.

He didn't follow her and she was thankful for that. When she got back to the dressing room she found a beautiful basket with flowers and gifts on the small table. That had not been there before; she thought before she picked up a small black velvet box from the top of the basket and opened it. Inside was a beautiful gold ring with a precious stone on the center. She couldn't help to smile. It was simple and yet so beautiful. She put it on and it was a perfect fit. It made her world not feel as dark as she had felt a moment ago. She wasn't sure from who it was because there were no notes or anything that could give her a hint, but she would make sure they knew she was thankful for it.

The call was made that the break would be over in a few minutes. She rushed back to the stage where the Titans were already sitting and talking amiably with 'Conner'. She saw Clark give her a thumb up from the other side of the stage, but she also saw him flinch. He frowned as if he had a headache.

"Superboy?" she turned to see Blue Beetle hovering over the clone with a concerned expression. Superboy was clenching his teeth and glaring at her and 'Conner'.

"Ten, nine, eight…" the countdown started just as the glare became vicious as if she was no better than her uncle.

"Superboy, what's wrong?" Kid Flash asked losing his forced smile.

"Four… three…two," something was very wrong.

"Shut up," Superboy growled before he shouted "all of you shut up!"

The world became silent. They were back on the air and Superboy was looking at her as if he wanted to kill her.

"What is that?" 'Conner' shook her before she looked down at her hand. The red stone of her ring was shining for some reason. She looked up and saw Superboy was not glaring at her, but the ring.

888

_**Next part in The Flight of the Blue Beetle 27, The Interview II**_


	36. Aftermath

_**Aftermath**_

He didn't have to hold back. He didn't have to care for anyone else but himself. He could be as selfish as he wanted without worrying about those he would be hurting. That red rock was like heaven wrapped in a tiny package just for him. It had Luthor written all over it, but at that time, he didn't care. He was free to feel and want and hate and… He wasn't, was he? Through his distorted vision, he saw Red Robin, Kid Flash, and Blue Beetle all looking at him with fear and worry. He wanted to fly away and not have to look at their faces, not hear their voices, not feel what they felt. But, like a soft-hearted idiot, he stayed and listened to Godfrey try to belittle them.

All the while he could sense Clark watching them with worry. Not far Steel was fighting Metallo. That should be Superman, but he was too worried about him to leave. He hated him for that. Wasn't he the one that said he wasn't his father? Wasn't he the one that started calling him his little brother?! He didn't have the right to worry about him like that! He couldn't decide to treat him like an adult one moment and a child the next.

Then, all the rage went back to that well-hidden place as he gave Red Robin the rock. The time for being selfish was over, though short-lived, he would miss it and yet he wouldn't. Kid Flash went to help the Titans and the Team in Coachella Valley, Blue and Red left to find out what was happening through the Watchtower. He was left behind to do the cleanup. The whole mess started because of him, so it felt fitting. The moment he was free Superman took off to fight Metallo. He went to find Lori and Miss Martian. He had sensed a psychic fight between Miss Martian and Psimon not long ago. Unsurprisingly, she won again. He found them in Lori's dressing room kneeled before a gift basket.

"Took you long enough," Miss Martian said in her human form.

"What have you found?" he asked her noticing Lori was staring at him as if he was part of the freak show. He wanted to snap at her to stop, but he couldn't lose time.

"The basket's pattern is unique from The North coast of Bialya," Miss Martian said showing them such a basket.

"Queen Bee, so it was the Light," he said scanning the basket for anything else that might work as a hint. Other than the rest of the contents being extremely expensive, nothing else stood out.

"Luthor is close to Morgan Edge, I don't doubt he tipped him about what was going to happen," Miss Martian said with a frown.

"You still aren't going to admit it?" Lori said before he turned to look at her. Tell her that her uncle is a villain? He thought that was clear by now.

"She knows who you are," Miss Martian said.

"You had no right," he froze up for a moment, unable to understand what those words meant. Then sneered at Miss Martian and the room started to rattle. The red stone was gone, but it seemed some of its effect took time to wear off.

"Sue me," she glared back at him, "besides, it was either that or letting her think you were actually a Martian transvestite."

"How could you lie to me?!" Lori said marching up to him.

"We lie to everyone Lori," he said crossing his arms and looking at her as if she was a spoiled child. They lied about who they really were, what they really did all the time. They were so used to it, they didn't think twice about it.

"But-" Lori started looking hurt.

"Look, we don't have time for this. You saw what's going on," they had a TV in the dressing room, they had to know.

"And you are here because?" Miss Martian said knowing it wasn't like him to stay away from a fight.

"There might be more of that red rock there," he said almost embarrassed. It was not often that he felt like a liability.

"We don't need more than one person to investigate this," Miss Martian said dismissively. It was hard to compete with a Martian when investigating unless you were Batman.

"I had something else in mind," he said looking at Lori who almost jumped back when he set his eyes on her.

"Do try to have fun," Miss Martian said shifting into someone of the studio staff. Probably would look into the security recordings to get more clues.

He didn't say anything as she walked out the door. Not thanks or good luck. She left him with one angry Luthor who really had no right to be angry at him. But he knew Luthors, they believed they were special and deserved to be treated differently than everyone else. That's why they did stupid things to get that attention.

"She is the ex you told me about. The one that-" sometimes her insight amazed him and at times like this it really annoyed him.

"We have to clear our names," he told her, "go find Ms. Lane and I will meet with you at the parking lot in two minutes."

He left her without giving her the chance to say anything and went to fetch his civilian clothing. When dressed he took a short moment in front of the mirror. When he started wearing the fake glasses, too large clothing, and speaking like the dullest guy you would ever meet; he hated it. But now, he didn't really want to be Superboy. He didn't want people looking at him wondering if he would snap again and fearing him. Conner Kent was just a guy that could walk through the crowd unnoticed. Having a secret identity for the first time didn't feel like a burden. He rushed to the parking lot where Lois and Lori were waiting for him. Lois Lane was watching the broadcast through her phone with a frown and cursing every now and then at Godfrey for twisting everything Kid Flash was doing to try to contain the situation. Lori looked at him with wide eyes, trying to see the other him; squinting and studying him until he gave her a reproachful look.

"That idiot wouldn't know what an unbiased opinion was even if it hit him with a sledgehammer," Lois said looking at her phone. "So, what do you kids want to do?"

"Take our broadcast back," he said as he massaged Oracle. It seemed she had already received the info from Red Robin and was already working on intercepting the Galaxy broadcast. "But we need a place-

"Don't say more," she said before she started dragging them.

She pretty much threw them into her car and started driving like a maniac. They passed the ClarkCatropolis building and watched as the former employees were being driven out by Luthor's security.

"Now we know who Cat sold it to," Lois said with a sigh.

"No," Lori said leaning out the window and watching the place she wanted for her internship be destroyed. "That asshole," her uncle knew that was the place she wanted to join.

He couldn't agree more. Though he also blamed Cat Grant, he blamed Luthor more. Clark had worked so hard to help make it work; shaping it to be the news he believed the world deserved. Now, it was all gone because the megalomaniac wanted to control everything, including his niece's life.

"You want to get back at him?" he asked her leaning on his window nonchalantly. In truth, he wanted to get out there and trash every single one of Luthor's men.

Lois glanced at him, worry written clearly on her features. She knew Kents (sort of) and knew that it was hard to make them angry or upset, but when you did there was always a hell to pay. Not for nothing, it was said the quiet ones were the ones you had to watch out for.

"He always ruins everything," Lori said turning away from the window. The sight was depressing.

"He does," he said remembering all that Luthor had done to him, especially that night. He took out his phone and checked the messages he had received until then and replied back. Now he knew what the rest were up to. He would have preferred for the rest of the trip to be silent, but Lois kept the broadcast streaming on her phone. Every time he saw his friends hurt each other against their will he wished to bolt out of the car and help them. He hated how the streets were almost empty because everyone was watching the broadcast. The world had faced invasions, terrorist attacks, and so many catastrophes but never had they seen young people fight like that before. During his journalism classes, he learned to see things from different points of view, and he knew the world would fear them for a long time.

Lois drove them to a group of warehouses by the pier. The place looked abandoned, and he would have thought it was hadn't it been for the odd sailor storing their boats. Lois drove them to a warehouse that had a security system probably worth more than the warehouse itself. He watched Lois enter a code on the keypad and scan her fingerprint and retina just to get access.

It was all dark until Lois lifted the electricity switch and before a complete studio was revealed ready to use. They had a set, cameras, lights; all the equipment they would need in one discreet place.

"I have never trusted Edge, so I have been getting this place ready in case a day like this arrives," Lois said when he gave her a questioning look.

"But we can't manage this on our own," Lori said with wide eyes.

"We are going to do this," he told her walking forwards.

"But-" she caught up to him as he started to remove the covers from the equipment. All of it belonged to Galaxy's. He didn't know how Lois did it, but he was sure Morgan Edge had no idea she had taken them.

"I already messaged a crew. Now, you need to get ready," Lois told them.

"We? But you have more-" Lori started to tell the award winning reporter.

"We are clearing your name too, Lori," Conner told her.

Lori could only nod before walking to a vanity table on the side. She already looked great, but she had to come to terms that when she did this, it would follow her through the rest of her life. He continued removing the covers from all the cameras.

"Kid, what's wrong?" Lois said following him.

"Don't call me kid," he told her.

"Conner, what hap-"

Someone knocked on their door. Lois rushed to the entrance holding a metal pipe before interrogating the people on the other side of the door before letting them in. He took the chance to send Oracle the location of the place. His communicator pinged.

"The Watchtower is secure," Red Robin reported, "how are things on your end?"

"We got a site to broadcast from, and Oracle has gained access to their broadcast. She is just waiting for our signal," he told Red trying to make it look as if he was talking on his cellphone.

"We will use the League's satellite to provide you footage," Red Robin said, and he could hear him already working on it,

"Thanks," he said letting go of a breath.

"You okay?" Red asked him.

"Wishing people would stop asking me that," he said with a bitter laugh.

"We will get through this too," Red Robin said, "we always do."

"Right," he said wondering when they did, how much collateral damage would there be.

"Aren't you changing?" Lori asked him, almost making him jump out of his skin. He realized he had spaced out because now the place was flooding with people Lois trusted, among them Jimmy Olsen who was waving enthusiastically at them and pointing at his camera.

"I am fine like this," he said with an awkward smile towards Jimmy who was approaching them fast.

"So, you aren't going to have my memories erased or something like that? Your ex seems to-"

"Call her Megan, please. And now don't say anything stupid. It's not just me you would be hurting," he said before Lori slapped him on the arm.

"I would never do something like that," she said before saying hi to Jimmy and dragging him for some pictures.

"It won't be long guys," Jimmy said as he started taking photos of Lori first.

"Don't remind me," Lori said posing around the serious Conner Kent.

Jimmy found the contrast between them amusing. Lori's enthusiastic personality and Conner's stern expression got the whole crew to relax.

"And we will be on in a minute!" someone shouted before he messaged Oracle and Red Robin.

He reminded himself to get a copy of the broadcast when they interrupted Galaxy's broadcasting with their own. Godfrey had been spitting fire when it went back to him calling them amateurs and gullible. This was done in purpose to show the contrast between good and bad reporting, at the end making Godfrey look like the self-centered jerk he was. In the middle of things he received a message that Blue was on his way to Coachella Valley.

"Miss Martian is on her way to cover you," Red Robin told him. He cursed M'gann and her shapeshifting abilities. He actually wanted to stay and continue doing this. If there had been someone not watching the broadcast before, they were watching now. Seeing Godfrey's imitation of a stop light every time they returned the broadcast to him was just a bonus.

During one of the breaks, he went to the back of the warehouse, to a blind spot from the surveillance system to meet her. She had a smug smile as she shifted into him again.

"Lori already knows, don't let her say something stupid."

"Like you are right now, must be those Luthor genes," M'gann said putting her hands on his hips. He knew she was just doing it to bother him.

"Very funny," he said putting his clothes away on his backpack and handing it to her.

"Yeah, because you are all about the fun," she said swinging his backpack on her shoulder and striking a valley girl pose still shifted as him.

"Just don't," he said with a rubbing his temple.

She simply raised her hands up in surrender before she went in swinging his hips. He didn't know if he could blame the red rock for how much he wanted to throw a car at her.

"_One cannot have peace without restraint. One cannot have peace without restraint. One cannot have peace without restraint," _he repeated in Kryptonian again and again as he flew towards the center of the city. It would be a little while before Blue made it to the site so he decided to make a quick stop before he left. He spotted Superman and Steel holding Metallo and now the Leach back too. Those two chose the worst time to cross his path.

"Desert is here!" shouted the Leach before he used a dumpster to hit him half way up the block.

"Superboy, are you-" Kal El said reaching his side.

"If you ask me if I am fine, I am taking down the whole block," he said glaring at Metallo who was trading even blows with Steel. He had never fought Metallo or Leach, but he knew enough about them to know he shouldn't take things lightly with them.

"Kon," Kal said holding his shoulder just as he was about to go after the Leach.

"I know, _one cannot have peace without restraint,"_ he said taking a deep breath. This wasn't the time for a lecture.

"_Our true strength lies in our unity,"_ Kal El said before he removed his hand from his shoulder. Now, he felt like a stupid kid. This wasn't about him; it was about protecting what they cared for. "Together?" he could only nod before they went after the Leach who decided it was a good idea to pull the wiring from the street and start feeding off it.

Using his TK, he ripped the wiring from the creature's claws and then turned the dumpster he threw at the Leach to capture him.

"Whatever they offered you to do this, it isn't enough Leach," he said as he felt the creature fighting to escape. Superman and Steel had kept him from absorbing too much energy. But he could still feel the creatures desperation to feed. The Leach bit a hole into the dumpster before setting his black pearl like eyes on him.

"You taste different…" the Leach said looking directly at him, not looking one bit happy, "you taste raw." The Leach's sniffed the air like a beast tracking its prey.

"Do you have to deal with this every time?" he asked feeling disgusted as Superman used a metal beam to keep the dumpster closed.

"He has said worse," Kal said with an uncomfortable laugh.

Something hit him on the back making him lose his concentration and making him crash against the Leach's temporary cage. He felt the teeth of the creature sink into his neck the moment he made contact. It took his brain a moment to realize what he was feeling. His whole body buzzed with pain as he felt his cells be drained. Worst of all, he could sense the pleasure the Leach got from sinking his teeth into his flesh.

"Ahh!" he screamed before Kal pulled him away and landing a punch between the Leach's eyes. It roared and cursed at the two of them before breaking out of the cage with the energy he stole from him.

"You will pay for that!" the Leach roared as he launched at them.

"That's my line!" he screamed before he used his TK to pull a light pole out and then used it to hit the Leach repeatedly until the creature caught it and then threw it at them like a javelin. Kal captured it in midair before using it to hit Metallo who had been about to shoot another Kryptonite powered blast at him. Behind him, Steel was regaining his bearings after being blasted too.

"Help Steel seal Metallo's Kryptonite first," Kal told him, "I will keep the Leach back."

He rushed to Steel who was leaning on a building trying to fix an issue with his armor. He saw exposed burned skin and used his powers to bend as much of the armor around it without compromising it. On the other side of the street, he saw Metallo pulling himself up from the rubble and glaring at him with an obnoxious smirk.

"About time the two of us met kid. Now tell me the truth. You are actually his kid, aren't you? He is just too much of a-"

"Why are all super villains such chatterers? Can you answer that for me?" he told the cyborg.

"I will enjoy killing you," Metallo said with a sneer.

"Sometimes I think they actually rehearse in front of a mirror," Steel said flexing his arm and finding no issue with his handy work. "It takes him a moment to charge, I will cover the Kryptonite and you weld it," Steel said.

"I will keep him still," he said. Though he was at a good distance he could feel the Kryptonite, like the heat of a flame threatening to burn him. He concentrated on Metallo, surrounding him with his TK to immobilize him. Though the man was mostly metal now, he still found difficulty to control living beings. There was something about the fact they were alive that made it difficult for him to concentrate. Megan told him once it was related to the willingness that came with life that was no always attached to the flesh.

Steel rushed to Metallo with his sledgehammer to hit the man who didn't even flinch when it hit him on the jaw.

"I can take more than that," Metallo sneered fighting his control.

Steel then started to pull the opening on Metallo's chest to seal the Kryptonite inside. He approached to weld it when he realized something was wrong. When he saw Metallo's eyes he knew he was right. He was waiting for him to get closer. He stopped midway and tried to concentrate further on the cyborg. He found his answer in the molecular level.

"Steel! Get back!" he shouted before Steel jumped back.

"You are really annoying," Metallo said before his metallic body started to ripple and shift like mercury, the piece of face that had been covering one side of his head fell off before the cyborg changed into a taller and wider version. One of his hands had turned into a gun and the other into a blade. Both had a green tint which could only mean trouble. "It was meant to be a surprise for the big blue."

"We have to take the Kryptonite from him," he said as Metallo pointed the gun at him, and without pause shot at him.

"That could kill him," Steel shouted using his hammer to block the attack. Though it was faster than the previous ones, it lacked in the previous' power.

"It won't," he said flying towards Metallo, pulling in the way every piece of metal he could bend around him as a shield before punching the cyborg's chest only to find his fist sinking on it before hardening.

"Got you!" Metallo crackled as his eyes started to shine green.

"Shut up!" he shouted using his TK to mold the metal he was touching until it became a glove around his hand.

"What are you doing!"

"I said shut up!" he said before he got hold of Metallo's Kryptonite heart and then pulled it out.

"Wait!" Steel said too late to stop him. They watched Metallo's shiny new body lose its stability before it melted into the ground with an intact cranium at the top of the whole mess.

"You will pay for this," Metallo's head said.

"But how is that possible?" Steel said as he handed him the Kryptonite. Though he had some protection, he was starting to feel the effects of the Kryptonite.

"I sensed an alternative energy source," he said picking up the head, "great upgrade, but a dumb one too."

"Go to hell!" the head shouted.

From that point, the Leach would be easier to handle. When he was called to finally head to Coachella Valley, he did knowing Superman and Steel would have no trouble with the Leach. As he flew he kept repeating small Kryptonian sayings. He had to be at his best when he got there. Miles away he could already sense them and ahead of him he spotted Blue leaving a ship shaped like a beetle. He remembered Kord used to fly that thing all over the place.

"This sucks," Blue said as he handed him one of the Unity-tech cure patches, "you know we are no longer welcome at Star Labs? They made it pretty clear when they pointed their guns at me. A warning would have been nice."

"I got the equivalent of a Kryptonian roofie in live television, my ex took over my first and probably last broadcast, and we are about to fight some of my oldest friends in said broadcast while under the control of an alien parasite," he said wishing the day was already over. He wasn't looking forwards to trading blows with Kara.

"Sorry, difficult day," Blue said unable to meet his eyes.

Great, now he felt like an idiot for laying all that out to Blue, who was probably the most self-conscious of the four of them. He bet he was already over thinking everything.

"You said it," he said with a sigh, "sorry, the red rock stuff seems to have some after effect."

Blue just nodded before setting his eyes ahead with a frown, "stay in the air until I clear the area. Red was right; Khaji Da can sense the stuff all the way from here."

888 Read **Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 22: Interview Time III** &amp; **A Robin, Red Robin 15: Tying Knots, **for the details of the fight 888

When he returned to the warehouse where they had been broadcasting from, it was only to help wrap things out. Miss Martian had already left to give the clues she found to the League and the Titans a while back.

"So… clone or Martian?" Lori asked as they downloaded all the content from the broadcast to a portable hard drive.

"Clone," he said looking at some of the stuff he had missed. It seemed their fight with the Leach and Metallo didn't get much coverage.

"So, you knew from the time we met?" she asked him looking around to make sure no one was in earshot.

"Yes," he said studying Miss Martian's reactions as him. It scared him she knew him so well.

"Sooo…" she said leaning forwards.

"What?" he asked turning his chair and faced her, making her jump back.

"Are we like cousins? Because I swear I never hit on you even if it looked like it," she said with an embarrassed smiled.

He was speechless for a moment. They had just given the middle finger to Galaxy Broadcasting, and would surely be facing an army of lawyers within a few hours and she was worried that he thought she hit on him. Worse! They weren't really related, but he couldn't tell her.

"Oh my gosh! He lost it!" Lori shouted when he started laughing.

"You are so annoying," he said still laughing, "and nosy, and-"

"Alright, I get it!" she said crossing his arms.

"Look," he said controlling his laughter, "we are friends and I will trust you with this secret that is not just mine." He tilted his head so she would turn around and see Clark talking to Lois not too far. He waved at them.

"Ohhh," she said before her cheeks started to turn red.

"Don't tell me," he left the rest unsaid.

"I am not telling," she said turning to look at the screen again, "this is so weird."

"Tell me about it. Sometimes I wonder why I even came out of my incubation pod," he said before she looked at him with wide eyes, "a clone joke."

"I know, but you never make jokes," she said with a short laugh, "it just got a lot weirder."

"Seriously? The fact I made a joke is weirder that I am a clone?" he said as he downloaded the last of the data.

"Party at Kents!" both jumped before turning around to see Clark trying to stop Lois, "he got a new place!"

"I guess some things will never change," he said with a sigh.

8888

He leaned on the rail of the balcony looking over the city, listening for any danger. Interestingly enough, the city was still quiet. Probably reflecting on what they had seen that day. Worst of all, it wasn't over yet. Red Robin had called him not long ago and told him they were going to go fix the mess they made at a small town to make a show out of it. Lois already got the 'hint' and she was already organizing her crew to get there first thing in the morning.

"We are going to report on it, I don't give a shit what Edge says!" she shouted raising her beer can in the air before she was joined by others in cheer.

"Why don't you head to bed?" Clark said joining him, "I will keep an eye on things."

"I don't want to sleep," he said, "not until I am sure that stuff wore off."

"You know I am proud of you, right?" Clark told him.

"Don't start," he said not wanting to see his face. It was embarrassing enough he got compliments from everyone inside. Lori was still surrounded by her new admirers and loving it. But he wasn't like that. He liked being unnoticed Conner Kent.

"As a reporter, you made quite an entrance. Wherever you decide to go, I know you will make a difference," Clark said leaning on the rail too, "and with _us_, you reminded them why _they_ wanted you to join in the first place. I think they might try to ask you again in the future."

"You want me to?" he asked him.

"I want you to do what you believe is right. You are free to choose your own path," Clark told him reminding him again that he didn't see him as a clone, but his family.

"What are you two doing here! Come watch this!" Lois said bursting outside before pulling them in. The TV was showing a special report.

"…has a special announcement regarding his latest acquisition," a reporter was saying before they saw a live broadcast all the way from Gotham City. A man they both knew stood with a charming smile before the press.

"Today we were reminded we live in an incredible age. For us to strive in such times we must constantly remain honest about what happens around us without presold and bigoted bias. Tonight a pair of the new wave of journalists made it clear by standing their ground for the truth. This, with some luck, made me decide in the acquisition of the New Daily Planet as Wayne's enterprises building block for a…"

"So, I guess Wayne is the new boss," Lois said with a smile, "I bet I can squish more budget out of him than Edge."

He and Clark doubted it.

"… everyone from the previous ClarkCatropolis news blog is welcome to join us too. Their diligence for the truth has become an example for the new wave of journalists and reporters."

"How long did you last without a job? Half a day?" Lois laughed, "So, at the end you will come back."

"I don't know. I could start from scratch again with my share of ClarkCatropolis," no one could say Luthor didn't pay a fair price for what he bought.

"Why you-," Lois said ready to go off on him.

"I won't have it, Kent," they all turned to see the Editor in chief for the New Daily Planet.

"Mr. White," Clark said shocked.

"You are coming back even if I have to drag you myself. I am not leaving the place on her hands alone now that Edge is off the picture," Mr. White said giving a glance at the already sizzling Lois.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean," she said holding back only because it was Mr. White.

"You are reckless, he is level headed. Make the math Lane," Mr. White said.

"Mr. White, I am really-" Clark started.

"You can continue writing if you want, just make sure not to slack on your new position," Mr. While started to say with a confident smile.

"Which would be?" Clark asked.

"Co-editor in chief," Mr. While finished, "Wayne thinks it's a great idea."

"What?!" Lois shouted while the rest were still in shock.

"Don't look so surprised Lane. That has been my plan for a while now. You two have always made a great team," Mr. White said as Lois muttered under her breath.

"I am really honored Mr. White," Clark said shaking hands with the man, "I won't let you down."


	37. Growing Up

_**Growing Up**_

In his way to school, while riding his motorcycle, he got stuck in traffic which made him late for his first class. It wasn't like he could abandon his motorcycle and fly off to school. Through the whole school day, even after weeks had passed since the interview, people stared at him as he walked by, whispering rumors and other nonsense. Usually, he didn't mind his civilian life to fall into a routine, but this was not one of those occasions. He didn't like to try Kara's breakfast experiments every morning or he got the stare from Clark, he didn't like patrolling the city while also staying alert for the members of Infinity Inc., and he definitely didn't like listening to someone every morning agreeing with Leslie Willis' morning broadcast.

Now, he sat behind a table with Lori as they watched another 'charismatic' student try to join the school's news online channel. Since what happened with the Titans the school had received enough donations to open a small studio of their own. The school trusted him and Lori to run it. Lori, of course, was their main anchor, while he remained behind the cameras bringing stories and monitoring the broadcast.

"And I can be very funny, you know, like I can make anyone laugh," the young man said with what he guessed was a charming smile. It wasn't working.

"Make him laugh," Lori said pointing at Conner. He raised an eyebrow at her to which she only shrugged.

"Ehm…" the young man started when he turned to look at him.

"Next!" Lori shouted before the young man walked away. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you said something, or better yet, became one of the anchors," she told him as they looked at the long list of people trying out.

"I don't have enough time," it was the truth. With the Titans, also patrolling Metropolis, school, and this he barely had time in the day.

"I know, I know, you sly fox, you," she said with a teasing smile and wiggling eyebrow suggestively. Of course, there was also his 'not girlfriend' who he had been going out with for the past few weeks; Kaitlin Fairchild.

"Don't do that," he said running a hand down his face.

"So, what can you contribute to the news blog?" Lori asked their next candidate.

"Well, I am really cute," a young woman that wasn't even part of the journalism program at the school said. She threw suggestive looks his way, and he was sure some at Lori too.

He resisted the urge to slam his head against the table. At the end, he was close to dragging his feet towards his motorcycle. Lori followed closely behind him as cheery as ever as she went over those who might actually be good.

"Look at the bright side, we can report in just about anything we want," she said as they reached the parking lot.

"If we did that, the school would shut us down," they had been given a long list of things they couldn't do, it just happened he was the only one to read it.

"But then we could go all rogue and start an online news channel of our own and-" Lori started with a bright light in her eyes.

"You want to work with Lois and Clark," which meant she needed to finish her degree and get an internship at the Daily Planet.

"And for some strange reason you can't decide if you want to," she said giving him a slight glare. He knew she wanted them to continue to be a team, but he wasn't sure that was what he wanted. It would be great to work in a place like the Daily Planet, but something else was calling to him.

888

When he came out of his pod all he worried about was living up to the expectations of being Superman's clone. When he took on a civilian identity, he only did it because he was told to. At the time, he thought it was pointless. He had no idea how much that side of his life would come to mean to him. For a while, he thought he had lost it when his new abilities awakened, barring him from most of the world. Now, he worried about where to go with this part of life. Though years had passed and he had proven to be more than just a clone, he still felt at times like he was living in Clark's shadow. Going to the Daily Planet where Clark would be one of the co-chief editors just felt like he was treading on his shadow again. But, if not the Daily Planet, where was he supposed to go?

"I like the quiet types, but this is getting ridiculous," Kaitlin said sitting next to him at their table.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," he said before he realized some of their companions were looking at them.

"When are you not?" Kaitlin said teasingly before glancing at Lori, "Let Luthor handle it; she seems to enjoy bossing others around."

"It's true," Lori said shamelessly, "all part of being a Luthor."

"And you don't?" he asked Kaitlin with a smile.

"That smile should be against the law. You could get anyone to do anything you wanted with it," Kaitlin said slapping his arm.

"Like?" he asked her as he leaned forwards.

"Oh, now he flirts, now he-" he gave her a quick kiss and pulled back. "Forget the smile, those lips overall definitely should be against the law."

"I feel like I just saw something I shouldn't have," Lori said to Kara.

"Tell me about it," Kara said faking to gag.

A baffled laugh escaped him before Kaitlin kissed his cheek and then laughed as Kara covered her eyes. Since they had met, he found Kaitlin loved to tease her as much as him. Kaitlin didn't want them to be an item, but at times like this, it felt like they already were. Around them, the retirement gala for Perry White reached its peak. The Bulldog, as some called him, had given his speech demanding of Clark and Lois to do a good job or he would come back and make them cover a dog show. For some reason, both seasoned reporters shivered at this. The shoes they would be filling were big ones, but Perry White believed they could do it.

Mr. White also thanked Bruce Wayne for arranging for the gala. Wayne hadn't cut on the expenses to make the night unforgettable. The dinner, decorations and ambient overall were perfect. Even Bruce Wayne had shown to the event and congratulated Mr. White, telling him his own father used to look forwards to his articles.

"Knowing the chief, he would have been happy just going to a pub," Lois said a short laugh. It seemed that after the disaster with Galaxy Communications, Lois had finally decided to dump Jonathan Carrol. Jimmy in the meanwhile was suppressing the urge to take pictures of the whole place and chatted up with Lori and Kara.

"True," Clark said with a short laugh. Still, there was some edginess to the both of them. The chief editor position was initially only Lois' until a few weeks ago when Cat Grant sold ClarkCatropolis to Luthor, and Bruce Wayne bought the stocks of the Daily Planet.

"Clark, I have to go," Diana, also known as Wonder Woman, said as she got up. She had come to the event as Clark's date. When he had first seen them together because of the bet they made, he had thought it was a one-time thing. But it was becoming clear they liked being around each other. He hadn't gotten around asking Clark if it was because of their many years of friendship, or something else.

"Do you want me to-" Clark started to get up.

"No, that won't be necessary. Please, enjoy the night," she told all of them with a polite smile.

A few tables away, they spotted Bruce Wayne also get up and followed closely behind Diana.

"If I didn't know better, those two…" Lois started to say as she followed them with her eyes.

"They are good friends, just like her and I," Clark said checking his phone before frowning. He was sure there was something going on, but they didn't want to pull him out of the event.

"So, that's what they call it nowadays," Lois said before Jimmy rolled his eyes at her.

None of those at the table needed to be psychics to know things were not going to be easy for the two of them once they started working together.

888

There was so much smoke, fire, and fear. His chest tightened until he remembered the smoke and fire couldn't hurt him. It took him a second longer to realize the fear he was feeling was not his own. There were drawbacks to his powers, not that he would ever admit it to anyone. If he wasn't careful he could feel what others did. Now, ahead of him was a burning building and everyone still inside was filled with fear. Even the infant who held tightly to his mother's bosom felt something was wrong.

He spotted Supergirl ready to blow the fire out, but couldn't find a spot where those inside wouldn't be hurt. Then they heard it. The foundations of the building started to crack because of the intense heat. A second later the building started to topple. Everyone who had been watched froze in horror. Without thought, he stopped the building from falling and keeping it together with his TK.

"I can hold it on my own; get them out of there," he told Kara before a shadow covered both of them.

"Need a hand?" he didn't bother to look back knowing it was Skyman.

"Get those on the windows. Supergirl will get those deeper inside," he said closing his eyes and hating they were being helped by him, but he had to swallow his pride. With his TK keeping the building together, he knew what had happened. It started at the boiler room. Some kid had snuck in to smoke and there was a gas leak. The rest was history, and so was her life. Her charred remains would be buried by the crumbling building once he let it go.

"Let me go!" he heard someone shout before he spotted Supergirl carrying an old man wrapped on her cape. He looked hurt but that didn't stop him from struggling. She gladly handed the old man to the paramedics "You stupid alien!"

She didn't acknowledge the insult and flew back into the burning building, but he saw her fists clench tightly. Thankfully, the rest of those she rescued were a lot more cooperative.

"Everyone, stay back!" he shouted once everyone was out before he nodded at Supergirl who then blew a strong gust and extinguished the fire.

"Can we save the building?" she asked him as he still held it in one piece.

"No, but I need to ask you a favor," he said before she gave him a strange look. He explained what happened before her expressive eyes became filled with sorrow, "there was nothing we could have done."

"I know, but…" she didn't finish and flew into the building, and to the boiling room to get the corpse of the girl out. He heard the shocked gasps of everyone when Kara came out carrying the body on a blanket.

"I am letting the building go," he announced before releasing it and then flying back to watch it crumble.

"My home! Why didn't you save it!" he heard someone shout, but he paid them no mind. He approached the officers and firefighters to explain what had happened. Someone threw a soda can at him, which Kara caught in midair before glaring at the same old man she had rescued.

"The building's foundation was already compromised," he said to the officers and told them of what they would find in the boiler room for their official report.

"No!" he heard an anguished cry and saw a man crying over the corpse of the girl as they closed the body bag. "Why didn't you save her!" he heard the man cry as he started marching towards him, fury and pain emitting from him like the powerful waves of the sea, threatening to drown him. The man got face to face with him and poked him in the chest, "you are not heroes!"

"Sir, step back," one of the officers said placing a hand on the distraught man's shoulder.

"You are defending him! He let my little girl die!" the man shouted at him face to face.

"She was gone before we made it here," he said clearly, before speaking in a lower tone so only the man could hear him, "she was smoking in the boiler room, where the explosion happened and the fire started."

The man's eyes went wide before he checked his pockets for a pack of cigarettes he knew he wouldn't find there. His fury turned into guilt before the man crumbled to the ground just as broken as the building they had called home.

"I am sorry," was all he could say before looking at the paramedics for help. That seemed to snap them into action and they rushed to the man.

"Why her?! She was my-" the man said as they took him to one of the ambulances.

"Kon El," Kara said looking at him worried.

"Let's go," he told her before they took off.

They were quite a few feet in the air before they heard someone calling to them. They turned around and waited for Skyman to catch up to them. They had kept their contact with Infinity Inc. to the minimum, but this was bound to happen. The man dressed in red and white with white stars on his chest offered them a condescending smile.

"You kids okay? You should have told me. I would have gotten the girl," he said to them.

"Much appreciated Skyman, but we are fine," Supergirl said trying to offer a polite smile.

"Alright doll, I believe you," Skyman said with a smile that said he didn't.

"Doll…" Kara repeated the word with a frown.

"Are you patrolling tonight babe?" Skyman asked "we could do it together. You know? The more the merrier."

"_Is he insinuating what I think he is?"_ Kara asked him with a cringe in Kryptonian.

"_Better not think about it,"_ he said as his stomach did a weird flip. While they had been talking to the officers and firefighters Skyman had been basking on the adoration of those who had been watching.

"C'mon, we are all looking after Metropolis. It will be fun. What do you say pretty thing? After this, you must want to have some fun," Skyman said while looking at her from top to bottom and back.

"_Let me go! I am going to make him eat his words!"_ a moment later and Skyman would have been crashing down. He held Kara by the shoulders and kept her as still as possible.

"_I wish I could,"_ he said still feeling goosebumps. A young girl had just died and the man was trying to get Kara to go out with him. What was wrong with him?

"What is she saying?" Skyman asked not one bit bothered, actually, he seemed to enjoy the reaction he got from her.

"She does not like being called a doll, or a babe, or you," he said glaring at him.

"You guys are so funny, so what are you? Like siblings?" Skyman asked digging further under their skin.

"_In the name of Rao! No one will know! Let me at him!"_ Kara shook with indignation.

"I am a half clone of her cousin," he said keeping his tone as even as possible.

"You mean Superman, right?" Skyman asked with a smirk. Of course, he already knew that.

"Yes, their fathers were siblings," he said trying to buy time for Kara to calm down.

"Then why don't they look anything alike? I mean, are you sure they are related? You are like so hot and he isn't, not that I swing that way," Skyman said.

"_We could throw him into the phantom zone; Kal El will never realize it_," Kara muttered under her breath with a wicked smile.

"Is she okay?" Skyman asked him when they heard her chuckle.

"No, but that's normal for her," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Shut up Kon El," Kara said before elbowing him.

"Actually, Kryptonians consider those types of comments very disrespectful," he said but he thought most human women probably considered objectification offensive too.

"What?" Skyman said raising an eyebrow at him as he looked at him as if he was no better than a kid.

"It means you are being rude and if you talk to her like that again you will answer to me," Superman said as he arrived at the scene, probably having heard what was going on a few moments ago, _"and no Kara, we are not throwing him into the phantom zone."_

"Oh wow, hold it there Supes, she is a grown woman, right?" he asked them but only met with blank stares, still Skyman went on "she can make choices for herself. So, like get on with the times starting with your costume."

"What do you want to do Kara?" Superman asked in a calm tone as he stared at Kara.

"_I want to drag him to the lowest sea level until his empty head implodes,"_ she said as she glared at Skyman and though the man didn't know what was said he knew it wasn't good.

"Better get back to patrol, rain check alright?" he said trying to throw another flirtatious smile before flying away.

"_Idiot,"_ all three of them said.

888

"I can't believe Luthor isn't taking the fall for the red kryptonite," Lois said as she went over some last minutes articles at her desk.

"Really?" Clark asked sitting on the sofa as he went over the layout of the next day's issue.

"Sarcasm doesn't suit you Smallville," she said saving the last and sending it to him, "and then he has the nerve to launch his own line of superheroes."

"They are still people Lois, not fashion items," Clark said as he made space for that last article, and thankful the online platform allowed for more flexibility than the paper ink issues. Usually, if they couldn't fit it on the paper, they could in the online platform.

"Tell that to Trajectory," Lois said turning her monitor and showing Clark the latest add the speedster woman had launched "talk about sellouts."

"They are still doing good," though he didn't like them, especially Skyman. Thankfully, since their last conversation he stayed out of his way and especially Kara's. Kon El wasn't so lucky.

"On whose side are you?" Lois said as she got up and went to her personal espresso machine, oh the perks of being the boss.

"On the side of people not getting hurt or killed," he said doing the last touches before sending the finished layouts to start the printout and the online platform.

"W-well!" Lois said shaking with frustration, "I know they are hiding something."

"If they are, I am sure the League is already looking into it," and they were, but they just couldn't find anything solid yet.

"Or the Titans," Lois said with sipping her supercharged coffee, frustration going down by the second.

"Or the Teen Titans," he said remembering the other name was starting to catch on after Blue Beetle said it during the interview. He thought it was catchy though not all accurate as some of their members were already in their early twenties.

"Not you too, adding 'Teen' takes away from their-" Lois started before she jumped, almost dropping her cup of coffee when she spotted Conner standing at the door of her office, "kid, you are as silent as a grave! You almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Thanks, Conner," though Clark already knew he was there for about a minute.

"No problem," Conner said handing him the bag with some of his favorite takeout food. Since Clark had started as co-chief editor he saw him even less. He had to take over the patrol in an hour and thought of hanging out with him until then.

"Well, aren't you going to tell him?" Lois asked giving Conner a skeptical look.

"Tell him what?" Clark asked though both of them already knew what was coming.

"Why he hasn't entered his application for an internship with us? What else?" Lois said crossing her arms.

"Do you want to?" Clark asked him with all sincerity.

"Not sure," Conner admitted.

"Well, there is still some time to decide," Clark gave him a reassuring smile that said he trusted his judgment.

"I can't believe you two. Clark, tell him he has to," Lois puffed.

"He is not my father," and the moment Conner said it, he regretted it. Clark couldn't hide how uncomfortable that statement made him. Genetically speaking, he was his parent, but they opted for more of a sibling relation. It was less awkward (though not entirely).

"I didn't-" Lois started to say realizing she had hit a raw nerve when Conner snapped at her. The kid rarely ever talked back.

"Neither one of you have the right to make decisions for me," he interrupted her unable to look at Clark. As he left he thought he should have said that from the beginning.

"Shoot," Lois said after Conner was gone.

"Lois," Clark sighed.

"I know, I know I screwed up. It's just that… well, I don't know. I just thought with ClarkCatropolis gone he would… isn't that reasonable?" she said cringing before adding, "you said his parents were traveling through Europe, what do they say?"

"They have not been involved for quite a few years," Clark said as he started to unpack the food, "but that's beside the point. He is at an age where he can make his own decisions."

"All the wrong ones," Lois muttered before she saw Clark looking fixedly at the containers though she knew he wasn't really looking. "Not that it would be your fault or anything like that," she added lamely.

But Clark didn't see it like that. He remembered how Conner had told him not to hold back because of him after the incident with the red kryptonite. Though Conner was much more mature than someone of his physical age and especially someone of his real age, Clark had seen something else that didn't fit with that. Even after weeks of the incident, he still had no idea of what to call it.

"Earth to Smallville," Lois asked waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked and looked up at her, "ehm, sorry. I didn't mean to make things weird, but you know me. I never think before-"

"Don't worry about it," Clark said looking at his favorite dish, but not feeling like eating, "you were just unlucky to step on one of the things he really hates; being told what to do."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Lois muttered before he handed her one of the containers with food, "thanks."

"I think I know what you can do to make it up to him," he said offering her a gentle smile.

888

Mount Justice was the first place he could call home. It was the place where he didn't have to worry about hiding who he was, or who might come after him. The first people he could call friends, the first he could trust, and the first one he loved was all connected to this place. When it was destroyed almost everything that was his also went with it and all those connections were almost destroyed. He had not come back since the cleanup though there was almost nothing to salvage. It was strange to be back. He kicked a rock as he waited for the rest. Why did they have to meet here of all places? Or was it only him that saw this place as the physical representation of what they had lost in each other? Trust.

"You look as cheery as ever," Artemis was the first one to arrive on a motorcycle. She was in her Tigress uniform which only reminded him further of their betrayal.

"I am sorry about your sister," he said as sincerely as possible. He hadn't had the chance to talk to her in a while, but Bart kept him up to day.

"Let's not talk about that," she said leaning against her motorcycle with a grim smile, "heard you are some sort of celebrity in Metropolis now. How is that going?"

"It will pass," he said with a shrug. He hoped it would be sooner than later.

"Everything does, doesn't it?" she said before they spotted the bioship.

Kaldur, M'gann, and Dick all came out of the ship and went to meet to where their kitchen once had been. They were all silent for a moment. He knew he wasn't the only that was remembering Wally stalking the place like a predator, just waiting for someone to lower their guard to snatch their food. He was the only one missing, and it tore at them even further.

"So, Aquaman," Dick started trying to break the somber mood.

"Kaldur is fine, we are all friends," Kaldur said, and he knew right then that he was the one who had arranged all of this. It was only last week that the League and the Team celebrated his place in the League. He had gone too but didn't stay long. Metropolis needed someone that wasn't Infinity Inc. looking after it.

"Are we?" he asked them crossing his arms.

"Always the life of the party," M'gann said with a slight roll of her eyes.

"I am just being realistic. Things are not the same as they were seven years ago," he told them.

"Alright, who had the great idea to invite Super-downer?" Dick said with a strained smile. But, no matter how much they tried to make fun of the situation, it would not change.

"Things are different, and we might not agree with the decisions some of us have made, but we will always be friends Kon El. That's the reason I called to all of you tonight," Kaldur said with a nod his way. Kaldur had always respected his point of view, even if it was considered merciless at times.

"So, this wasn't to gloat you were in the League and we weren't?" Dick asked.

"It totally was," M'gann said teasingly though almost all those present had already been invited to join the League.

"I believe we should not lose contact with each other. Though we are going in different directions, we can still help each other. Me in the League," Kaldur paused until some of them stopped smiling, "Miss Martian with the Team, Superboy with the Titans, Nightwing in Blüdhaven, and Tigress as an independent agent."

"What do you mean by an independent agent?" M'gann asked looking at Tigress.

"I guess it makes sense we stay in contact," Artemis said before telling the truth to those who didn't know, "Jade abandoned Lian and Roy and went back to being Cheshire. I think something happened to force her to do this, so I am going after her."

"The League just became aware of this, but it seems it has been going on for a while," Kaldur said unable to meet Artemis' eyes. She didn't tell him though they were together now, or maybe not anymore. There was an uncomfortable silence between them. They all knew that whatever had been growing between them was gone now. Again, it all came down to trust.

"I know," he said since Red Robin had told him of his search for her with Red Arrow, Tempest and Spoiler back in Gotham, "but I thought Roy didn't-"

"He is wrong," Artemis said defensively, "my sister wouldn't abandon them just like that."

"Then I guess this is a good time to let you guys know you won't be seeing much of me. Blüdhaven, as it turns out is taking all of my time," Dick said, and he knew this to be true because he kept dropping Damian with them more often, "I am sorry M'gann, I wish I could be of more help with the new members."

"Don't worry. Actually, Wonder Girl is stepping up her game and is a lot of help. She gets along with the new guys just great. The one I am more worried about is Garfield. Since Red Robin assured him he was already accepted, but needed time to train their current members," she said giving him a sly look, as if he was stealing her little brother.

"How is that going?" Dick asked.

"They are good," he responded easily.

"You aren't telling us something," Artemis said with a raised eyebrow. They knew him well enough to know that he didn't like secrets, and when he had to keep one, his responses were usually short.

"I thought you would know by now since it seems Red Robin still confides with you," he told Dick.

"Not everything," he said with a smirk. Well, he was going to wipe it off his face.

"Our new members are progressing just fine. We did have some problems at the beginning with discipline and boundaries. The bigger issue is how Red is handling or better say, manipulating some of the more personal aspects of Kid Flash, and Blue's lives," he had never seen Blue look so angry or raise his voice so much. Kid Flash pretty much let it go and focused on showing how trustworthy his girlfriend was.

"What do you mean by that?" Dick asked; the smirk was gone.

"That red head in the party," Artemis said putting the pieces together.

"Blue's ex," he explained before a few of them flinched.

"But I thought he only wanted to be friends with her," M'gann said before they all looked at her, "we had a little talk."

"I believe he does, but Tracy Thirteen was there. She was going out with him as Jaime before he told her who he was… that same night. For some reason, Red Robin doesn't want them together. Just as well, Tracy declined our invitation to the Titans," he wasn't surprised Tracy had figured it out as well since she was a supernatural detective. Still, the mystery remained why Red Robin didn't want them together.

"And Bart?" Artemis asked concerned.

"He told his girlfriend," he said with a shrug.

"That kid," Kaldur said with a sigh.

"In his defense, the girl figured it out all on her own before he admitted anything," for some reason Bart had expected him to shout at him when he learned about it. He didn't think it was wrong, especially since the girl already knew but choose to keep it a secret.

"She looked kind of sweet," M'gann said before they all looked at her again, "what can I say? People trust me."

"Rao only knows why," he said before he got a shove from the Martian. "But before that he was showing interest in one of our members; Solstice."

"Kid got good taste," Dick said with a smile.

"And she was just as interested; before she found out he was dating someone else," he said feeling a little more at ease. He didn't know how to handle that one, but to give Solstice some space and something to destroy.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Artemis said before they all looked at Dick.

"We had similar problems," Kaldur said clearly not trying to laugh as the source of most of those problems was standing among them.

"Heh, yeah, they will grow out of them," Dick said though clearly he still carried some of those problems.

"And what about you Supey? Still fighting your way out of mobs of girls?" Artemis asked though she clearly had forgotten she had been one of them when they first met.

"I am seeing someone from school," he said.

"I was just joking! Seriously?" Artemis said.

"Yes," he said with a cocky smile, which got the rest to look at him as if he had grown another head.

"Let me guess, another journalist student," M'gann started to say before he nodded, "gha! what's you guys falling for reporters!"

888

He counted himself lucky he had made it to Metropolis in one piece. They wouldn't let him go until he told them more about Kaitlin. For a few minutes there, it was almost like the old times. Maybe Kaldur was right. Even if they were going different places, they were still friends. He liked the idea of that. Though Mount Justice was gone, they still had those memories.

Before he made it home, he got a message saying they had a visitor. It was their code for saying; don't fly through the window, use the front door. As he got out of the elevator he realized who it was. He wanted to turn around and stay somewhere else like the farm or the fortress. But, he strode on until he opened the door and found Simon Valentine, Smallville's own paranormal investigator, sitting on their couch and eating what he believed was his dinner.

"Look, Simon, he is here," Kara said getting up from her place next to Simon and rushing to him, then she whispered, "help me."

"Did you run away from home again?" he asked Simon.

"Actually, I am here to look at colleges," the teenager said.

"But you-" he couldn't be more than fifteen.

"I skipped some grades," the kid told him with a smirk.

"He will be staying with us for a few days," Clark said from the kitchen.

"I also wanted to talk to you about what happened last year in thanksgivings," Simon said looking at him with a more serious expression, "it was the Leach."

"What?" it took him a moment to remember. Last Thanksgiving the Leach had been a little too close to the Kent farm. Supergirl and Superman fought against the Leach before they got help from the Martians. When gone, Simon visited the site to investigate and found a spot where the Leach had taken all the life.

"I went to the place where Superman last fought him, and the dirt sample had the same effects as the one in Smallville," Simon said before pointing at said samples sitting on the coffee table.

"But what would the Leach want in Smallville?" he asked trying to feign innocence even further.

"I think it was you," Simon said as they tried their best not to shock any shock, "I mean, you are all friendly with the League. You probably have become targets."

"Actually, that makes sense," Clark said tapping his chin in thought.

"And you call yourselves reporters," Simon laughed, "The League probably defeated it before it could get close to you."

"The Leach probably thought we would be an easier target when we were in Smallville, instead of Metropolis," he said wondering if they would have to cut down on their visits to the farm.

"But that doesn't explain all the strange things that have happened in Smallville," Simon said with a frown, reminding him he thought Clark was involved.

"Oh, not you too," Clark said with a sigh.

"What?" they asked.

"I have a friend who already investigated all of those things. I will give her a call and she will send you what she found," Clark said offhandedly.

"Seriously?" Simon asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, when I told her about my hometown, she just couldn't leave it alone," Clark said with a yawn and headed to his bedroom, "don't stay up too late."

888

He didn't like people staring at him. He never had. It made him feel like 'it' more than a 'him'. It made him feel like they could see through him and see he wasn't one of them. Not human, and not Kryptonian; not born but made.

"You know I did you a favor, right? Motorcycles are not-" Simon started to say after the umpteenth time someone took what they believed was a discreet picture of him.

"Shut up," he said trying to focus on his book and ignore the stares. Clark asked him to keep an eye on Simon while he checked out his school.

He knew it was useless to get to his class by the time they arrived, which was very late. He decided to get the whole thing over with and started showing the kid around the college. He led him to the applied science buildings where the kid gushed at everything he saw. He got a few stares again, but this time for being away from his own side of campus.

"Do you know what this is?!"Simon asked him excitedly as they stood behind an observation window. Around them, students were taking notes of what was going on inside.

"The most advanced particle accelerator in the country," he said which got him more gawks.

"Yeah! And they are-" Simon started to say.

"Testing for supersymmetry, which would be more effective if they didn't think of Gluinos as particles, but waves," he said before a few of the students around stared at him with open mouths.

"I don't like you," Simon said crossing his arms.

"Then stop trying to talk to me as if I was a jock," he said with a roll of his eyes. Since he met the kid, he couldn't come to terms that he probably smarter than him.

"But you are a journalist student," Simon said glaring at him as if saying he had nothing to do in his field.

"You don't have many friends, do you?" he said annoyed before the kid looked at him with wide shocked eyes.

"Asshole," Simon said before he started walking away.

He followed him silently to the other buildings, not saying anything as they watched other experiments and even listened to parts of lectures. He had missed another class by the time he realized what time it was and sighed.

"Let's get something to eat," he told the kid before they went to the cafeteria where Lori and Kaitlin were waiting for him.

"Hey there," Lori said as cheerfully.

"This is Simon, he came from Smallville to check out the school," he told them before going off to get them something to eat. He had well in mind to send the kid back to the apartment afterward. Thankfully Lori and Kaitlin were intrigued by the young genius. This also gave him a chance to catch up on what he had missed.

888

When he finally got home that day, after more classes, the school's news online channel, following a lead on a story, and patrol he had never missed his bed so much. He collapsed immediately after getting changed and didn't bother with the blankets. His life was not a mess, just too busy. Part of him wanted to throw out the window half of his responsibilities, but he couldn't. He groaned against his pillow before using it to cover his head trying to damp out the sound of the night. Eventually, he found sleep, but it wasn't restful.

He knew it was a dream because he had been in this dream before. He swore if the Red Hood had anything to do with this he would make him pay with the same coin. It was the same suburban home from his sand dream, but this time, instead of being a teenager he was a young eight year old boy eating breakfast with his parents. Lois and Clark were talking about where they should go eat that Friday night and asked the boy who said he wanted to go to the movies. Unlike last time where he had some control, this time, he had no control at all. He was no better than a spectator as he listened to Lois and Clark laugh saying they would eat first and then go watch a movie.

It was the picture of a perfectly happy family and the longer he watched them, the sicker he felt. He kept repeating to himself that he didn't want this. As the young boy brushed his teeth he had a glance of himself as a child. Then, the reflection of bathroom's mirror stopped brushing while the boy kept on going.

"You know, it isn't fair what they did to you. Denying you all of this," the reflection spoke and he knew it was the same copy of him he fought back when was first in the dream.

He wanted to say to him that he didn't want it, but the boy kept on through his routine as if the mirror wasn't talking to him.

"C'mon Kon El, you know you are lying to yourself," the mirror said "that's why it hurts so much. You can't deny it. You feel it every time you see a parent with their child; jealousy, outrage, and overall there is the loneliness of being the only one of your kind."

He remembered the girl who had died in the fire and the way his father had grieved for her.

"Will anyone ever mourn you like that when you die? Do you think Kal El will?" he was thankful when the boy finally left the bathroom to get on the car to be driven to school, but it didn't last long. On the car window, he met with the talking reflection again. "You know you want to go to the Daily Planet. They will look after you, nurture your skills further and beam at you proudly like real parents do. Lori is already like a sister to you. You won't be alone anymore."

He wanted to say no. In the eyes of the world, Conner Kent was an adult who made his choices based on what would be best for his career, not because he wanted to be doted on. He wanted to make a name for himself, bring the truth to the light, and help others.

"Why do you keep lying to yourself Kon El?" laughed the reflection before the window started to crack and then broke completely. The other he remained flying just outside the window watching him with a smile that said he knew all that there was to know about him, and then he reached for him and shouted, "open your eyes!"

He woke up with a gasp and sitting up before he spotted Simon in the middle of his room. The boy had a pair of tweezers and an empty Ziploc bag.

"You have three seconds," he said glaring at the boy who ran away immediately, slamming the door close behind him. This was going to be another long day.


	38. Kara's Inferno

_**Kara's Inferno**_

It made her skin crawl every morning when she heard the two of them get up at the same time and get ready at the same pace. She used to hide under her covers and tune them out until she heard them leave their rooms and say good morning. They spoke of things she didn't understand and never once they had to explain to each other what the other meant. Sometimes, she waited until they were gone before leaving her bedroom to find containers of the previous night's takeout in the trash, and one waiting for her at the counter. Kon El or Kal El used to cook breakfast most mornings, but since Kal got his new job as co-chief editor and Kon ran a project at school, neither one had the time to anymore.

Kara had enough of them only eating takeout food and coffee. So what if they didn't gain weight? In the long run, this was bound to harm them powers or not. The only issue was that she had no idea how to cook. It was a miracle that she knew how to boil water. Even back in Krypton, she usually let the automatons do all the chores and cooking. Before that, it was the clones. It was because of that she didn't ask Kon El for help. In a sense, it felt wrong and degrading, for whom, she couldn't say.

"You are getting much better Kara," Kal El said to her one morning as he picked out fewer eggshells out than the day before.

"Thanks," she said picking at her bowl with fruit and yogurt. That morning she learned boiled pieces of fruit didn't taste that well with yogurt and so did the rest.

Kon El was staring at his burned piece of French toast as if it was poisoned but didn't say a word. She knew he only stayed because Kal El gave him a look the first time he tried to leave. When Kal El gave you the look you knew you had to do as he said. It was not often, but also, it wasn't usually unfair.

"I will be working on the spreads until late," Kal El said after finishing every single bit of food.

"Me too, I have to follow on a lead downtown, and patrol," Kon El said after eating the French toast in two bites and shuddering slightly.

"Want to bring some curry to the office?" Kal El asked Kon.

"You bet," the clone smiled brightly at the idea of food that wasn't prepared by her.

"Kara, want to come?" Kal El asked her.

"I don't like spicy food," she said remembering the first time she tried it she thought she was going to die.

"Well, if you change your mind you know where to find us," Kal El said before he left first.

Kon El stayed seated and eating at a slow pace. She wanted to him to tell her what she did wrong but he kept eating until not one bit of edible food was left.

"You didn't have to finish it after Kal El left," she said not feeling like finishing her own portions.

"Now you tell me," Kon El said with an exasperated laugh as he got up to wash the dishes.

"I wanted to see if you would finish it like Kal El," she knew he wasn't an exact clone of Kal El, but she couldn't help to observe the similarities sometimes, "I know he doesn't want to hurt my feelings."

"But you are wondering why I would finish it after he was gone," Kon El said as he kept washing, "you are getting better and the only real way to know how much is by trying it out."

"But why would you care? Besides Kal El," she knew Kon El would do anything for Kal El.

"Kara, I know you don't like it, but we are sort of a family. This is what family does," he said turning around and leaning back on the counter with an uncomfortable expression. She knew that like Kal El, he had a hard time expressing himself unless they were writing an article or something like that.

But that wasn't how her family in Krypton used to do things. If you messed something up, you got scolded and told how to fix it. They didn't put it in kind or hesitant words. It was always specific instructions. Here, the two of them ate her mistakes without complaint, they even praised her. She wanted them to tell her what to do.

"You okay?" Kon El asked her.

"No," she said glaring at the food she prepared, "I am sick of this. Why do we eat at all when we don't need it?"

"You two don't, I do," Kon said with a sigh, "though I don't really need much."

"Then why does Kal El do it?" she asked him.

"I have no idea," Kon El said with a shrug.

"You must! You are his clone," she said glaring at him.

"That doesn't mean I know what he thinks," he said glaring back at her.

"Then what are you good for…" she muttered to herself before the dishes in front of her exploded spraying her with bits of food and porcelain.

"That's what I am good for," Kon El said before she saw his face had turned red with rage. Then, a moment later his eyes widened in shock as if he had just realized what he did, "I am…"

"Go, I will clean up," she said standing up.

"I am sorry," he said before leaving.

It was her fault. Kon El was trying very hard to be nice to her, and she kept messing things up. He had defended her from Skyman, ate the food she prepared, and she threw back on his face the fact that he was a clone and not a perfect one of Kal El at that.

888

"Conner," she opened her bedroom door and saw Kal El knocking on Kon El's door. As they had said, they both arrived home late; Kon before Kal. But the expression on her cousin's face told her he was worried. "Do you want to talk about it?" Kal El asked temptingly though he didn't look sure he wanted to talk.

"No, I am fine," Kon El responded from within his room, "forget about it."

"What you said to Lois…" Kal El said.

"I will apologize to her tomorrow, good night," Kon El snapped at him closing the subject.

"Good night," Kal said halfheartedly before seeing her standing by her door "Kara, sorry. Did I wake you up?"

"No, I was already up. Everything okay?" she asked not sure if she should peek into Kon's bedroom.

"Come with me," Kal El whispered before they went for a late night flight. Once they were far from the city he asked her "have you noticed Kon acting strangely?"

"Well," he blew up her breakfast on her face.

"He seems easier to anger recently, but I can't tell why," Kal El said with a sigh.

"Maybe he is stressed. He has a lot of stuff going on," or maybe he had enough of her messing up.

"Would you keep an eye on him when you go to the Titans for me?" Kal El asked her.

"Me?" but Kon El was the one who had more experience.

"Just to get an idea of what could be going on," Kal El said giving her a trusting smile. She couldn't say no.

When they returned to their apartment they found Kon El was gone. He saw fear strike Kal El before he took a deep breath. She concentrated her hearing and soon caught the sound of Kon El flying towards the Titan Tower. She checked her communicator which informed Superboy, Red Robin, Thorax, and Green Lantern were all going on a mission. Multiple known criminals had gone missing through the country and they had a lead.

"Batman mentioned this," Kal El said after she showed him the message, "they all share something in common. They are the ones who bend the laws and get away, or fall through the cracks simply because there isn't enough evidence."

"Could they be working together?" it wouldn't be the first time the bad guys worked together.

"No, their backgrounds are way too different," Kal El before running a hand through his hair, "let us go to rest. They will be able to handle it."

888

Things ran much the same in the Titan Tower without Red Robin and Superboy for the most part. She walked through their garden filled with trees and flowers during her break. Though she was alone, she could hear everything going around. Red Star was flirting with Skitter again in the living room. Bunker, Solstice, and Tempest were on patrol. Kid Flash and Blue trusted Tempest to keep the other two out of trouble. Kid Flash was doing his best to keep Robin out of trouble, which was harder since he was also keeping an eye on Blue's little sister who was visiting. Blue meanwhile was in the kitchen monitoring the patrol and preparing lunch, as usual, with ease.

Typically, she liked to talk to Kyle because he was no stranger to otherworldly life forms. He didn't see her as strange in the way most earthlings did. Of all the Lanterns he had met, he said he had never seen other life forms that resembled humans as much as Kryptonians. He would talk about the chances that Kal El landed on Earth. He spoke of the tragedy and the emotions that such a story and others similar to theirs brought to his mind. Her voice had dried up the moment she saw him spill a tear as he looked at the sky and shouted that it was all too perfect to not be fate what brought the last Kryptonians to Earth. For them to meet…

She wondered if this was indeed Rao's plan. It sure followed the usual plots of the plays she used to watch with her parents in her younger days. The plays started with happiness, then disaster struck, and usually by sheer will and strength did the characters rose up again, but not without losing something dear in the way; friends, family, honor… anything could go. What did she lose? Her home, her identity, her family to become this being others looked up to for help. But there was something else she was losing. When she saw Kon El in the mornings she no longer felt hate or disgust, just uneasiness at times. It was like a layer of who she was, was being peeled away more and more she knew him.

She no longer thought what she wanted from the Titans was just to be a better protector. She wanted their company, some more than others.

"All Titans report to the debriefing room," Blue called through their communicators.

She was the first one to make it there and took her seat around the expansive circular couch. In the center was a table that worked as a projector. Blue placed a large tray with snacks for everyone as he went over what they would be talking about. He gave her a brief awkward smile as he worked silently.

"Where is Drake?" she didn't need to turn around to know Robin had entered.

"Only Titans," Blue said turning around to face Robin, Kid Flash and his little sister, "can you two go play somewhere else until we are done, and hopefully not get into trouble. Though, I know I am probably asking for too much."

"Pretty please!" Blue's eleven-year-old sister said, "I promise I will be quiet."

"No, we had a deal. You were going to do what I said or I was going to send you back home" Blue said frowning at the little girl who then glared at him before turning around and marching away, but not without taking some of the snacks with her.

"Don't treat me like a child Reyes, or I swear-" Robin started to say.

"Your mission is to make sure she doesn't get into too much trouble," Blue said not looking away from his work.

"What?" somehow Robin was able to make his glare more intense.

"I know Milagro; I know she is going to do something that will get her into trouble if left alone," Blue said, "you will be part of this mission too, but I just need you to look after her for a short while."

The boy glared at Blue silently, but the young man didn't even flinch before the kid snorted and then turned around and left.

"You got to teach me how to do that," Kid Flash laughed collapsing on the seat nearest to the snacks. But when Blue didn't share the smile with Kid Flash, they both knew something wasn't right.

"What happened?" she asked leaning forwards.

"Let's wait for the rest," Blue said, "it might be nothing."

While they waited, Blue used the tower's cameras to check on his sister and Robin. It seemed he had been right as the little girl had tried to use one of their boats to go to the city on her own. Robin stopped her before she created an illusion to hide from him, which got Robin to search for her.

"She is learning fast," Celine, also known as Skitter said as she and Red Star entered the room.

"Too fast," Blue said not happy at all about this.

Skitter and Red Star looked bashful as they sat next to each other. She didn't understand why as everyone knew they were seeing each other when they weren't in the tower. Then Solstice, Tempest, and Bunker returned worried. It was very unusual to interrupt a patrol like that. From aside from those who started the Titans, the tree of them were of their most experienced members all having looked after their home cities previously.

"We lost contact with Red Robin's team almost two hours ago," Blue said before displaying in the center table the site of their last known location. It was what seemed to be an old abandoned mining town in the middle of nowhere. At first sight, it looked like nothing living had been there in decades, but then Blue pointed out to recent tracks. Red's team had gone underground to investigate further, so they had assumed some of the signal would be gone, but after three hours it got the Blue Beetle worried. She thought he was right to be.

"I want to go," she said even before the words could form in her mind. She winced and waited for Blue to refuse.

"Solstice, you are coming too. I am also taking Robin with me. Kid Flash will stay in charge," Blue said after giving her a brief nod.

888

Okay, so she could fly and even getting teletransported made her stomach do a few flips. She saw she wasn't the only one when Solstice had flown behind some old wooden houses to throw up. Robin seemed to just teeter where he stood while Blue took deep breaths. Once they were composed they approached the mine's entrance. She wanted to ask why Blue had decided to bring Robin along since the kid wasn't officially a Titan but held back. Superboy had actually warned her about the kid and what he might carry on his belt. Was this why Blue brought him along?

"Something feels wrong with this place," Solstice said when she stopped at the entrance of the mine with a frown.

"I can feel it too," Robin said with a frown before he touched one of the walls, "this isn't man made."

She used her x-ray vision to try to get a better look, "there are lead deposits," she said with a frown, "I can only see a few feet ahead of us".

"I hope these little guys don't get lost," Blue said before a few metallic insects emerged from his hand and went ahead of them.

The deeper they entered the warmer the mine felt. The bug scouts returned with a mapped out layout of the strange mine, for the exception of one. They went down the path of the one that didn't return. It was steep and though Solstice assured her it had been less than an hour she felt they had been there for an eternity. It was getting too hot to the point where Blue offered to carry Robin on his back and the kid only threatening them once if they ever told someone.

Solstice like her didn't seem bothered by the heat. She guessed it had something to do with being energy in her current state. She thought that someone like Solstice would be seen as a goddess in some worlds. She believed her own world would have seen her as one of Rao's five daughters. Her onyx-like skin with cracks showing the energy she held inside, her shining white eyes and storm cloud like hair made her almost the perfect representation of Cie; Rao's daughter and goddess of confrontation, for without confrontation there couldn't be change.

"Drake was here," she snapped out of her thoughts as Robin jumped down Blue's back. The boy kneeled down and picked up a birdarang. The kid started looking around before declaring "there is no sign of struggle. He left this behind on purpose"

"What in the world is that!" Solstice shouted before she pointed at a creature watching them from the shadows with shining red eyes. It screeched at them with needle like fangs before opening its wings showing a small twisted and horrifying chalk yellow body.

"It's magic, stand back," Blue said before he shot it with his sonic cannon. The creature screeched again and then flew away into the darkness.

"Was that an actual demon?" Solstice was the first one to speak after a moment of silence.

"None of us have power over the mystical," Robin said looking for once unsure.

"And none in Red's group too," Blue reminded them before they kept on going, but now in complete alert.

She concentrated all of her senses to what was ahead of them, but she believed that the magic was keeping her from hearing what was really going on. Then, she heard something but she wasn't sure she heard it right. The deeper they went, the surer she was of what she was hearing.

"I can hear something, but it's very strange," she said stopping.

"How so?" Blue asked her. They had just seen a small bat-like demon, how much stranger could it get.

"It's music, and I think I have heard it before but-" she didn't know how to put it.

"We probably found a cult," Solstice said with a sigh.

"No, it's not like that," she said before biting her lip. Then she started repeating the familiar words "…Good times, these are the good times. Our new state of mind, these are the good times. Happy days are here again. The time is right for makin' friends?"

"It sounds like a cult chant to me," Robin declared unsheathing his sword.

"Very funny Supergirl, but this is-" Blue said making Robin sheath his sword again.

"I am serious," she told him with a worried look.

Blue didn't contradict and nodded before they went on.

"Kal El's Earth parents, they used to listen to that song," she now remembered where she had heard it before. Actually, it had been Mrs. Kent who listened to that song sometimes.

"Yeah, it's sort of an old song," Blue said with an awry smile.

"And catchy too," Solstice said before Blue gave her a questioning look, "what? It is."

"Stop wasting time," Robin said, "I can hear it too."

The rest agreed and she was thankful it wasn't magic playing tricks with her mind. Not long after, they emerged from the long tunnel into an immense underground cavern. The bottom at least a hundred feet below was filled with molten lava. From the bottom, crooked stone towers emerged like platforms where men and women stood dancing to the beat of the music they had been listening to. Though the music was cheerful all of those present seemed to be in immense pain and who could blame them. On their backs each one carried one of those demons like creatures they had spotted before; their fangs sank into their necks or shoulders.

"Well, this definitely wasn't what I was expecting," Blue said looking up at a glittering disco ball.

"I don't think any of us," Solstice said baffled.

"What is this?" Robin asked unable to make sense of what he was seeing.

"I think it's some sort of hell," Blue said before they heard another song play.

"…Young man, are you listening to me?

I said, young man, what do you want to be?

I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.

But you got to know this one thing!

No man does it all by himself.

I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,

And just go there, to the Y.M.C.A.

I'm sure they can help you today.

It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

It's fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.

They have everything for you men to enjoy,

You can hang out with all the boys..."

"A Disco Hell?" Solstice asked temptingly.

"Yes, Disco Hell," Blue said flinching as they watched for a moment at those people dance in a flawless sync to the song with grim exhausted faces. Then they heard a booming voice.

"Welcome, noble young heroes! My name is Dante and this is my inferno. I know that is hard to believe, but we are on the same side," a man with gray skin and red hair descended towards them with gray bat like wings. His eyes were completely red as those of the small demons and his nails were more like claws. He wore a tight black leather outfit as he smiled sinfully at them.

"I very much-" Solstice started to say but Blue stopped her.

"Are they all criminals?" Blue asked the man-like being.

"Yes Blue Beetle, but let us talk in my humble adobe. This view can become… tedious," Dante said never losing his smile before leading them up a set of stairs into what she found to be a very comforting launch with soft sofas around and refreshments. The temperature was somewhat cooler. It was nice for the exception of the panoramic window showing them the still tortured men and women.

"I recognize some of them. Embezzlers, crime bosses, some are murderers but they all got away," Robin said never looking away from the window.

"All getting what they deserve," Dante said proudly before one of the small demons flew into the room and sat on Dante's shoulder.

"I don't doubt it," Blue said making the rest look at him in worry, "but what is this place exactly?"

"Of course," laughed Dante, "I was but an archeology and theology student when I found this place, following some old legends regarding our little friends. They feast on pain, and misery, but for some reason they found a liking to me instead of killing me like they had done at one point with the whole town above us. I thought this was a sign, so I started bringing people who deserved to be punished. With the right cocktail, it wasn't hard to make each one of them believe they had died and were now getting what they rightly deserved."

"And the wings?" she asked not believing he had been human once.

"One day they just started to grow," the man shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. "Either way, feel free to bring whoever you like, the more the better."

"It must be difficult to maintain an operation of this size," Blue said keeping a steady stare on Dante who laughed.

"Cunning, but not as much as you think," the man said with knowing smile.

"You are using this set to drain their accounts," Robin said unsheathing his sword, for once Blue didn't make him put it back.

"Blood money, how poetic, isn't?" Dante said not one bit intimidated.

"No, what you are doing here is wrong. Criminals or not, you are torturing them," she said preparing to fight.

"Where are the others?" Solstice demanded.

"Hm… where do you think?" Dante said before they heard the door they came through slam closed.

They all turned around to find Red Robin staring at them with a smirk and holding his staff. The next instant he threw a blow towards Robin who ducked down.

"You have to do better than that Drake!" Robin screamed as he swung his sword. It would have taken Red's leg hadn't the other boy jumped and kicked Robin on the jaw.

"I am not holding back with you anymore. You are nothing more than a miserable assassin!" Red shouted as he launched again at Robin.

"Red!" Blue shouted trying to reach them to stop Red before the panoramic window was broken and Blue got tackled by Thorax.

"You think you know it all! You are wrong!" Thorax shouted as he slammed his fist again and again against Blue's face.

"What's wrong with you!" she heard Solstice shout before she saw her flying out of the window chased closely by Kyle who was using his constructs to try to hurt her. Then, she saw something on Kyle's back. It was one of those demons. She turned around and saw the others had them on too.

"What are you doing to them!" she shouted at Dante as she lifted him off the ground.

"They have simply seen the light my lovely angel," the man ran a hand through her blond locks, she couldn't stop herself from shivering, "and so will you."

The next thing she knew was that someone yanked her back and then slammed her head against the ground. There were only a few who had the strength to do something like this.

"Kon El…" she cringed as he put more pressure into her skull.

"Shut up Kryptonian. You will receive your rightful punishment," Kon El said sneering at her.

"Don't make me hurt you…" she said trying to hold back her panic. She was being reminded of all their previous fights where she had no control over herself. She knew how bad they could hurt each other if not in control.

"Don't flatter yourself," he laughed at her before she twisted her body and punched him out of the room. He slammed into the ceiling making part of it fall towards those trapped below. She cursed before she raced to move those who would have been killed by it.

"Su-Supergirl?" one of the men she saved looked at her with wide eyes. In that moment, it was as if all those imprisoned woke up from a trance. They all looked at her with hope in their tired eyes.

"We will get you all out here, just be- gha!" she started to say before she was blasted into a wall. Her head rang as she tried to shake off the pain.

"Don't let those things get close to you!" she heard Robin shout from somewhere before she spotted one of the little demons fly straight at her in her dazed state. She hoped her heat vision had some effect in magical creatures before she used her heat vision on the creature. It screeched in pain before it fell down into the pool of magma.

"You didn't have to kill it!" Kon El was flying towards her, ready to fry her face with his heat vision.

"I am sorry!" she shouted before she launched at him and slammed into the opposite side of the cavern, effectively knocking his air out before she slammed her forehead against his. The whole cavern shook with the strength of the hit and she feared more rubble would fall. When she opened her eyes, she saw Kon El was unconscious. She sighed in relief before she pulled him out of the crater and tried to remove the demon from his back. The moment she did he started to cough, a small trail of blood slipped down his chin before the creature sneered at her, holding tighter to Kon El before he groaned in pain.

She couldn't get those things off them without hurting them. Careful not to wake him up, she placed Kon El on one of the platforms before flying back into Dante's watch room but she found him gone. Only Red Robin and Robin remained to fight.

"So sorry," she said knocking Red Robin out before Robin glared at her, "I know you had him, but I need your help." She looked outside where Solstice and Blue were working together to watch each other's back as Lantern and Thorax kept trying to get one of the demons on them.

"This way," Robin said before he pushed aside the large wooden desk in the back of the room to reveal a set of stairs going down.

They went down as fast as possible and came out into a ledge much closer to the pool of lava covering the bottom of the cavern. Here they spotted Dante removing his leather clothing.

"Angel, so sad you will die not knowing the touch of a man," he said with a knowing smile and extending his hand towards her.

"Shut up you freak!" Robin shouted throwing birdarangs to Dante who simply jumped back in the nude and fell into the lava.

"No!" they hurried to the edge and saw as his body sank into the lava, but he wasn't burning. Instead, he laughed maniacally as he disappeared below.

"That can't be good," Robin said with a grim expression. A moment later they watched as the lava started to rise and take the gigantic form of a man. She took Robin and flew back up just before a wave of molten lava hit them. She could stand it, she was sure Robin couldn't. They landed back on the watch room where the rest of their team had brought those who had been trapped. On the back, she spotted Superboy, Red Robin, Lantern and Thorax all unconscious.

"We can't fight that thing," Solstice said as they watched it grow bigger and bigger until its head almost touched the ceiling.

"Actually, I can… I think," she said clenching her fists, "I really don't like magic." She said before she flew straight to the creature that had become Dante and took a deep breath before blowing with all her strength.

"What are you!" the creature shouted before its surface solidified.

"Go Supergirl!" she heard someone shout before she took another breath as Dante raised an immense lava hand and froze it too. She had never used her ice breath so much and felt short of air. Then she saw the bottom solidify too before she spotted Kon El, minus small demon. With his help, she was able to finish faster.

"It won't hold him for long," Superboy said using his x-ray vision before she did the same. Inside, Dante was trying to fight his way out by heating further.

"It can't get out of this cave! Let's get going!" they heard Red Robin shout as he and the rest were already herding everyone out. It seemed the moment Dante merged with the lava he lost control over the small demons and them.

"You okay?" she asked as they went to join them.

"I guess it was my turn to get mind controlled," Kon El laughed rubbing his jaw, "you got a good left."

Midway out they heard a tremendous sound. Dante had freed himself but they were way out of his reach. It seemed Red Robin had found Dante's research and found the small demons could leave the cavern and the tunnels while the lava creature couldn't leave at all. The moment Dante had become one with it; he sealed his fate in that place for eternity, starving for pain and misery. At one point they spotted the small demons following them, they collapsed part of the tunnel. They really didn't want to go back there.

When they finally emerged into the surface, the sun had started to set. However, they weren't alone. Superman, Batman, and Hal of the Green Lanterns was there with a blond man wearing a long trench coat and Zatanna.

"Pay up Lantern," the blond man said after taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"Shut up Constantine," the older Green Lantern said handing the man a hundred dollar bill.

"You defeated _Camazotz_?" Zatanna asked them wide eyed. Later they would find _Camazotz_ was one of the oldest demons in the world. In the past, his servants used to emerge through different caverns through the world until they got sealed up. Since then, it had weakened immensely. They didn't want to know how it was to fight it at full force.

"More like stalled it enough to get everyone out," Red Robin said giving her and Kon El a thankful look.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, I am taking you to the nearest airport though you should be behind bars instead," Hal of the Green Lanterns said creating the construct of a cage to carry some of the people they rescued.

"We got rights!" one of them shouted.

"Kid?" Hal said looking at Kyle.

"Coming, see you guys back at the tower," their Green Lantern said creating a bubble instead of a cage around the others before they flew away.

"I take Kid Flash reported to you when we didn't return," Red asked Batman who nodded.

"The moment Zatanna heard where you were she knew what you were facing. It seems someone broke the original seal," Batman said looking Red and Robin carefully.

"Enough talking, let's seal this baby up," Constantine said walking towards the entrance of the mine.

"No sloppy work Constantine," Zatanna said following him.

"You two okay?" Kal El asked worriedly. Their kind didn't do well against magic most of the time.

"Yeah, why wouldn't we be? Oh right, she punched me," Kon El said before pointing at her.

"You- you were being controlled!" she said in her defense before she saw him smile, "Kon El!"

"Make way!" they turned around to see Thorax carrying an immense boulder towards the mine.

"Thorax!" Blue shouted before going after him.

"What? I am not risking someone breaking those things out again," Thorax said putting it down and then pushing it to block the entrance of the cave.

"Actually, it's not a bad idea," Constantine said as he kept working on the runes of the seal.

"Move aside," Solstice told the Beetles before she shot a steady stream of energy to melt the boulder into the entrance.

"I will see you later," Kal El said with an amused laugh seeing they weren't the only ones with a dislike for magic, "great work the two of you."

They watched him leave silently before she turned around to help to seal the cave even further with her heat vision. Then, she noticed Kon El was still looking up at the sky in the direction Kal El had left. She opened her mouth to ask if something was wrong, but then she spotted a pained smile on his face and an emotion she could recognize in his eyes.

888

Red Robin gave those who had been in the mission the next day to rest and relax. Kyle was on the roof working on a sculpture inspired by the little demons; no one was going near him thinking he had gone mad. The Beetles were away entertaining Blue's little sister and dragged Robin along with them. Red Robin was napping on the other side of the sofa after getting halfway through one of his horror movies. Solstice was in the garden with Celine enjoying the warmth of the day. Kon El had gone into town to the bookstores. He said something about losing his mind if he did nothing any longer. And she, she relaxed in the living room watching a nonsensical TV show before something dropped on her lap making her jump.

"Start with that," Kon El said leaning over the couch and pointing at the bag he had dropped on her.

She pulled the content out and found a book 'Healthy Cooking for Dummies'. She turned her head and glared at him.

"French toast doesn't need ranch," he told her.

"But ranch makes everything taste much better," she said with a frown.

"Not French toast," he told her with a raised eyebrow and questioning her reasoning.

"Oh," she said wondering why it was different for French toast.

"You lived with the Kents. I am surprised you don't know why he likes to eat with us," Kon El said before she noticed he had a heavier looking bag, probably filled with more books.

"With us?" she asked looking back at him.

"It's not about the food Kara, it's about spending time together," he told her seriously.

"Like he used to with the Kents," she said looking at him with wide eyes. He had tried to tell her the other morning by saying 'this is what family does'. She looked at the book feeling like a real dummy for not realizing it earlier. She remembered those first mornings when she arrived on Earth and Kal had her live with his adoptive parents. They didn't treat her like an alien or an intruder. To them, she was family and more than once she had to excuse herself to cry, overwhelmed by their kindness. It was thanks to them that she didn't fall completely into despair and started to believe she had a place in that new world. When they were gone, she thought she would never have mornings like that again. Kal El probably thought the same until they all moved in together.

She then thought of Kon El and his words. He said he had no idea of what was going through Kal El's mind, but he clearly did. She was about to call him a liar before realizing something. Kon El never had a meal with the Kents or even met them. To him, meals were something he did with the Team or on his own, maybe he thought it wasn't the same. She guessed it was different, but not entirely. Her head was starting to hurt trying to understand the mind of the clone. Then, she remembered the look on his face the night before.

"Next time we invite you just say yes, and for the love of Rao ask Blue to teach you how to crack an egg," Kon El said before he stretched and yawned.

"I am sorry," she said as he started to leave. He stopped and turned his head to look at her with a raised eyebrow, "for what I said the other morning."

"What's family for if not to drive each other crazy," he said with a short laugh before leaving her to her thoughts.

They were a family and they did drive her crazy. But she would never change them for anything in the world.

888

AN: Alright, so there won't be a new chapter for a while... kind of? I am going back and revising some of the chapters. I will rewrite some of them so keep an eye out for them. They will have (RR) next to the tittle for a month. If it has an (R) it means that it was only revised and not rewritten.


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